Everything Is Coming Together Nicely
by Magus732
Summary: After 2 years on the Condor, is Stork finally losing it? Come along for the ride, as the Storm Hawks journey into Stork's past, and meet a few distant family members, including his "long-lost" brother... Chapter 18 is up!
1. Chapter 1

Everything is Coming Together Nicely (Ver. 2.0)

By Magus732

One otherwise boring day on the _Condor_, Stork stood at the controls, desperately wishing he could find a way to shut the mouth of his companion, who sat idly at the meeting table. He was reading a book (of all things) and listening to rock on the jukebox. The music was bad enough, and the Merb could normally ignore it, but he _also_ had to deal with the out-of-tune accompaniment coming from the table. Something inside the pilot suddenly snapped.

"Finn, could you _please_ turn that down!? It's driving me crazy!"

"I know! Isn't it great, Stork!?" The sharpshooter called back, obviously oblivious to his friend's plea. Stork screamed at the top of his lungs, switched on the autopilot, and casually walked over to the offending machine. He unceremoniously unplugged it, grabbed the record from the turntable, chucked the cursed disc out the window, and returned to the controls, whistling nonchalantly as he walked. The inner turmoil, bubbling just below the surface, threatened to erupt. And, in his typical way, Finn wanted an explanation for his actions.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem!? Do you know how much that thing cost me!?" The blond demanded. He stared angrily as Stork shrugged with indifference.

"I was tired of listening to it." The Merb reported flatly.

"I was just trying to get a little pep goin'. Atmos knows you need to loosen up." He retorted angrily. The pilot glared at him.

"Next time, kindly leave me out of any 'pepping' you want to do." He turned back to the controls, taking them off autopilot.

"Look, buddy, I didn't want to say this, but you have a serious attitude problem. Did your mother treat you like crap or something?" The sharpshooter had just cut too deep.

"Why you-!?" He leapt over to Finn, putting him in a headlock and squeezing with all his might. As the blond fought back, neither of them noticed the _Condor_'s sudden nosedive toward the Wastelands.

"How _dare_ you ask me that, you bastard! I've always been the butt of your jokes and pranks, and I've had it!" He began moving toward the window through which he had ejected Finn's record.

"W-wait, Stork! What're you doin'!?" Finn's eyes flashed with panic as the Merb slowly opened the window with his foot, and began trying to push him out, without saying another word. Stork suddenly laughed insanely.

"Who's funny now, Finn!?" Finn managed to break free of his surprisingly strong grip just long enough to see Stork's face. His eyes had grown huge, and he had an evil grin plastered on. The Merb drew closer as Finn backed away scaredly.

"Stork, buddy! It's me, Finn! You don't really wanna hurt _me_, do ya!?" He pleaded, to no avail. The pilot's insane laugh returned, but the other Storm Hawks, previously oblivious to the goings on, entered the bridge. They let out a loud gasp as the Wastelands filled the front window.

"Guys, what's going on!? Who's flying the _Condor_!?" Aerrow demanded. Suddenly snapping back to reality, Stork rushed over to the controls, managed to avoid crashing into several spires as he pulled up, and brought the ship back level. He restored the autopilot, and turned to look over at the others, who were glaring at him angrily.

"Stork, you could've killed us!" Piper declared.

"Don't look at me! It was Cheerleader Boy over there... kept distracting me... you're all... all distracting me..." He began to mumble unintelligibly, and Aerrow walked over to see what was going on.

"Stork, buddy, you ok? You don't sound too good..." He reached out to lay his hand on the Merb's shoulder, only to recoil as Stork zipped over into a corner.

"Stay away! Don't touch me!" His eye twitched furiously, and the others shared a look of concern as they slowly got closer.

"Stork, it's okay... we're not gonna hurt you..." Junko added helpfully.

"I think you need to go lay down, Stork... you're starting to freak us out..." Piper drew the closest, and when she stretched out her hand to help the pilot up, he promptly bit her. Hard.

"Ow!!!" She screamed, recoiling back in agony. Stork, laughing hysterically, bolted out the bridge door, his laughter echoing down the hallway after him.

"Um... what just happened?" Finn suddenly cut in. Piper shook her head.

"I have _no_ idea. I've never seen him this way." She looked down at her hand, hoping that, as it swelled a bit, she wasn't now infected with something deadly. Whatever could catch Stork could catch them all, and she shuddered at the thought of an outbreak of... whatever it was he had.

"C'mon, Piper... let's get your hand taken care of..." Aerrow offered.

"It's okay... I'm fine... Stork, on the other hand..." Her thought was finished by another fit of hysterical laughter from down the hallway, followed by a soft mumbling.

"Maybe he's finally lost it..." Junko said. Radarr simply shrugged; even if he had something to offer, they wouldn't understand him anyway.

"You think he might have caught something?" Aerrow asked, looking at Piper's hand worriedly.

"I don't know. I think we better get him to a hospital."

"Yeah, but which one?" Junko looked worried, but perhaps for the wrong reason.

"A mental institute." Finn said jokingly. He received a glare from the group in response.

"What? I'm just sayin'..." He looked down sadly, almost hurt that no one thought it was funny.

"Let me consult my maps... then we can figure out where to go..." Another sharp, abrupt burst of laughter filled the room from the hallway. Although the door was now closed, they could still hear him mumbling madly.

"I just hope we're not too late..."

Author's Note: Yeah, I decided to revive this story... it now has that new story smell... you don't want to know what it smelled like before... :)


	2. Chapter 2

"Max?" A female voice called into the barricaded room.

"What is it, Krala? I'm busy..." A male voice replied, followed by the echoing sounds of a blade being sharpened.

"You've got a call from someone... on the radio..." The female continued. The sound of stone against steel continued as well.

"From who?" The demand finally came.

"Starling..." The sharpening immediately stopped, and the sound of the weapon being sheathed could be heard, followed by muffled footsteps approaching the door. As the steel portal slid apart, a tall, grey-skinned figure emerged from the dimly lit bedroom.

"Well, in that case..." The male replied again, softly pushing the smaller, black-skinned female to one side. She willing let him slide past her, knowing full well what he'd do if she interfered in his personal affairs. She then silently followed him onto the bridge, which was filled with the sound of numerous, overlapping conversations.

"Starling's on 387.2 gigahertz, Max..." Another female, her skin white as snow, called softly to the approaching footsteps. Max picked up a headset and sat at one of the control stations at the back of the bridge.

"Roger... hello, Starling... you caught me treating my blades to a shine..." His sinister statement was received with a feminine giggle. Max frowned dangerously, and "hmph"ed into the headset mike.

"Oh, stop it, Max... It won't kill you to talk for a little while, will it?" The female's accented voice flowed smoothly into his ears, and the others noticed a softened expression on his normally stern face. His sigh of faux disinterest fooled no one, but it was amusing to Krala, who stood nearby with a soft smile on her face.

"I suppose that I can make the time..." He jested, eliciting another giggle from his far off companion.

"Max, stop it... you're going to get yourself in trouble... I have something serious to discuss with you..." Her suddenly serious tone alerted him to her discomfort. He immediately changed the subject.

"Let me guess; the Council needs us to provide fire support for another troop landing..." He ventured a wild, and incorrect, assumption.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Max... the Storm Hawks have requested that the Council send an escort for the _Condor_... seems their pilot's losing his mind..." Grey eyes narrowed.

"I see... what exactly would they have us do?"

"You'll rendezvous with them off Thartonis Colony... it's the nearest one... from there, you'll keep an eye on them as they make their way to Terra Merb..." Max nodded in silent acknowledgement. The nod and look of seriousness was shared by his leader.

"Helm, set course 2-3-0. Ahead one-half." Krala called out beside him, having picked up a headset to hear their new mission briefing personally. Another crewmember called back as she placed the headset down next to Max.

"Set course, 2-3-0; ahead one-half. Understood, ma'am." At this, Krala turned to their white-skinned tactician and navigator.

"Frelara, estimated time to Thartonis Colony, present speed?"

"2.3 hours, Krala." Her reply came swiftly, without any pause.

"Max, dig the spurs into her... I want to be there 10 minutes ago..."

"You got it, boss... Starling, you take care of yourself... Over and out." He stood up and headed to the helm, taking over for the young, inexperienced enlisted pilot who'd stood there before him. As he released the ship from its autopilot, he gunned the ship's massive engines, drowning out the sounds of the conversations with the high-pitched roar of full power. Krala came up alongside him as he reset the autopilot.

"Course and speed entered. We should be there in about 30 minutes." Max recalculated their arrival time, which Frelara confirmed with a silent nod. After about 15 minutes of travel, the colony in question came into view. It filled the ship's forward observation window as they drew ever closer. No sooner than they had it in sight did Krala spring into action.

"Max, ahead slow... stealth approach..."

"Roger..." With that, he pulled a lever next to him, and the bridge lights dimmed down to complete darkness, being replaced by an eerie red strobe behind them all, just above the bridge door. A series of dim red lights joined the strobe in illuminating the bridge. Finally, mercifully, the strobe became a solid beam of light, and they all braced themselves for what was about to happen. As the engines howled menacingly, a device deep within the bowels of the ship engaged power, and cloaked the ship, rendering it invisible to the naked eye. The cloaking crystals hummed with power as they approached the target coordinates, and Max retarded the throttle, the ship slowing to a near crawl. He engaged the hovering thrusters, which kicked on with a loud "whoosh," then fell nearly silent as they suspended the ship in mid-air. Max now fully closed the throttle, powering down the main engines.

"Now, we wait." Krala finally stated. Max anticipated the arrival of the "legendary" _Condor_, but he knew the _Scimitar_ was a far better ship. Stronger, more durable, and definitely toting more powerful armament. As the bridge quieted, the only sound that could be heard was sporadic coughing and hushed conversation. As the ship's radar probed the afternoon sky, a contact came onto the scope, alerting them with a soft "beep."

"Bartu, dardra quanon asklo. Chintasho comu pra?" One crewmen asked their leader, who shook her head in reply. Max suddenly turned to address her.

"Dontu, tatro seta senqueta. Quelin _Condor_ dast parlent." They both turned to look out the main window, and the _Condor_ entered their sights. The autopilot targeted the "enemy" ship, but Max quickly deactivated it, returning to manual flight. As they approached her port stern, he leveled out to slide in abreast of their allies. On Krala's silent signal, a quick nod, Max deactivated the cloaking device, returning her to normal visibility.

_Meanwhile, onboard the _Condor...

"Guys, look..." Junko suddenly called out, pointing to a ship that appeared to be materializing out of nowhere. It sat alongside them, beam turrets trained outward. Radarr gave a brief "toot" from their horn as an acknowledgement. Unknown to them, their allies took this as a challenge of whose horn was the loudest. In return for their attempt to make contact, the Storm Hawks received a piercing blast of the mystery ship's horn, a frightening banshee howl that forced them all to cover their ears in agony. The ringing in their ears slowly cleared up, as did their clouded vision, and as they regained their senses, the dizziness and nausea subsided.

"God-damn!!!" Finn yelled suddenly, unable to phrase his thoughts any better.

"Guys, look at that!" Piper pointed to the impressive ship sitting next to them. It was solid black from stem to stern, save for the notable insignia. About 2/3 of the way down the ship's pontoon, a squadron symbol, painted in silver, adorned the sides. Piper immediately consulted her book of squadrons, and looked up from it with a huge smile on her face.

"Piper, what is it? Whose ship is that?"

"That, Aerrow, is the _Scimitar_, and it belongs to the Silver Ravens of Terra Onyx..." She couldn't be happier; a chance to study an Onyxian in their natural environment was extremely rare. They were just too secretive for her taste. Suddenly, the radio crackled to life. A stern, somewhat flat male voice flooded the bridge.

"_Condor_, this is the _Scimitar_. State your situation. Over."

"This is the _Condor_. Aerrow speaking, Sky Knight and leader. I really appreciate the help you guys-"

"I'm afraid I don't have a huge interest in your personal problems, human. Please keep your answers short and succinct." The male on the other end suddenly, and quite rudely, cut him off. The others looked at each other in confusion.

"But, you _are_ here to help us, right?" The redhead queried. He received a haughty laugh in reply.

"Yes, we are... we've heard about your pilot, and are willing to escort you to Terra Merb... be warned, however, that we will not tolerate any intentional delays... we _are_ quite busy..." Starling, who'd just entered the bridge, shot her glance to the _Scimitar_.

"Wow, they got here faster than I thought..." She smirked to Aerrow, who didn't understand what was going on. Extending her hand, the redhead placed the headset in her open palm, which she closed and brought up to place the headset on her head. Before she reactivated the mike, they shot her worried looks.

"Don't worry... Stork's alright, considering... he's barricaded himself in his room, though, so don't bother trying to get in..." She switched the mike back on.

"Max, it's Starling... I wasn't expecting you so soon..." She cooed into the mike, and proceeded to let out a sultry giggle. The Hawks stared at her as though she'd grown another head. Immediately, the voice on the other end softened.

"Starling, it's good to hear from you again. Twice in one day... your friend is going to have to get sick more often..." He jested, making her giggle and smile.

"Alright, Max, you've had your fun for now... Let me talk to Krala..." A whimper could be heard on the other end.

"Awww... you don't wanna talk to me..." The male said sadly. Starling's eyes closed a bit, and she spoke softly into the mike as she turned away from the others.

"You know I'll make it up to you, Max... in the meantime, however, I _need_ to talk to Krala..." He sighed, and the sound of the headset being handed off could be heard. The voice that came on this time was noticeably more feminine.

"Zral, Starling. It's good to talk with you again. I see you've joined these young ones for this trip..."

"Actually, I've joined their team... I hope that won't complicate our friendship..." A soft, feminine laugh could be heard on the other end.

"Of course not. So, what's the plan?"

"I was hoping you'd enjoy a stay on the _Condor_ for dinner tonight. I'll make sure the food is friendly to your Onyxian stomachs." Smirking, she awaited the eventual laughing response.

"Very well. We will board your ship in 6 hours. Starling, be ready. Over and out."

"Starling, you just invited a bunch of Onyxians onto our ship, didn't you!?" Piper yelled excitedly, cramming herself into the veteran's personal space. She nodded hesitantly, and received a huge (for Piper) hug of appreciation.

"Piper, put me down!" Starling demanded. Nervously, the navigator set her back down.

"I know you're excited, but try to keep your emotions in check while they're onboard. And also, don't try to over-sell yourselves to them. _If_ they like you, it'll take some time to notice." The Interceptor nodded to Aerrow, who nervously nodded back.

Onyxians: on their ship? What were they getting themselves into!?

Author's Note: Good lord, this chapter was _long_!!! (chuckles) Okay, before you all panic and barrage me with questions, I'll break down the unknown phrases spoken among the _Scimitar_'s crew;

Sergeant: Colonel, a ship is approaching. Should we arm weapons?

Krala shakes her head. Max turns to face Krala.

Max: Sergeant, weapons won't be needed now. That's the _Condor_.

"Zral" is a general greeting in Onyxian, kind of like "Hey" or "What's up?", except a bit more formal. It literally translates into "greetings."


	3. Chapter 3

The Storm Hawks could only stare at the assortment of people across from them. There, in real life, sitting right in front of them, were 6 genuine Onyxians... quietly downing their meals. Apparently, meal time for them was quiet time.

"So, uh, Krala..." Aerrow, for the umpteenth time trying to spark a conversation, stared slack-jawed at the black-skinned Sky Knight sitting on the other side of the table. She suddenly stopped chewing her sandwich with a loud "crunch", and looked up at him with a strange gleam in her eye: like she'd found something _else_ that she wanted to devour. He quickly shushed himself, laughing nervously. Starling sighed loudly; this was the 7th time in 30 minutes that they'd been too scared to talk to their guests. She _had_ to do something. So, she shot a look toward Max, who was happily minding his own business, enraptured by the taste of the turkey and... whatever _else_ was in their sandwiches that Junko didn't tell them about. He briefly glanced up at Starling, noticed she was watching him, and quickly lowered his gaze again.

"So, Max, Krala tells me you've been working on that upgrade for the _Scimitar_'s autopilot... care to elaborate?" As if on cue, Max immediately shot his head up and cleaned out his mouth, smiling that smile that showed his perfectly white teeth.

"Yes, it's been a project of mine for some time now... you see, your basic autopilot only holds the current course and speed... when I'm finished, our autopilot will be able to evade weapons fire, take off and land the ship..." He realized that Starling was the only one who seemed interested in what he was saying, so he decided, in an unusually social move for him, to invite someone else into the conversation.

"So, Aerrow..." The redhead nearly choked on his sandwich. Max smiled evilly as he struggled to clear his throat, before he finally managed to swallow. As he desperately gasped for breath, Max's expression quickly soured.

"I certainly didn't mean to frighten you..." He said with a frown. His sudden smirk and soft chuckle said something else.

"It's... it's not that... it's just... I, uh... I... didn't see any reason to interrupt." Aerrow offered in reply. The indifferent stare of the hybrid told him to continue, so he started. But instead, Piper not-so-graciously interjected her own thoughts, to the relief of the stuttering redhead.

"Is it true you defeated 26 Talons with one hand tied behind your back?" She directed her seemingly innocent question to Krala, but the older woman shook her head.

"_I_ didn't. _Max_ did. Several times, in fact..." Her voice was much softer than Max's, and much more pleasing to the ears. Suddenly, the white-skinned woman across from Finn let out a soft, painful groan.

"Frelara, what's the matter?" Krala asked, worry present in her voice.

"Nothing... I just ate a little too fast again..." Her voice was hushed, almost too soft to be heard from where Aerrow and Piper sat. Starling raised an eyebrow as Max snickered to himself.

"Max, did you have something you wanted to say?" The Onyxian's head immediately shot up, and he quickly grew silent. The Hawks were all amazed by her control over him. They all began to wonder...

"So, are you guys, like, seeing each other, or something?" Finn finally verbalized the thought, eliciting a gasp from nearly the whole group. Max stood, loudly slamming his fists into the metal table. As Finn cowered away with huge, fearful eyes, Starling put a hand on Max's arm, and he sighed and sat back down.

"Yes... we are, Finn..." He replied through gritted teeth. Starling elbowed him in the gut, which made him grunt in surprise.

"What the hell was that for!?" He demanded loudly.

"For being rude..." She replied carefully, choosing her words to give them the greatest meaning. He shook his head, staring at the blond suspiciously.

"_He_ doesn't need to know... nor do any of them, for that matter..."

"_Oh_, so _now_ you're ashamed of me... well, I'm _sorry_ I'm not good enough for you..."

"That's _not_ what I _said_, love..."

"Don't you go and patronize _me_, you condescending bastard!"

"Let _me _finish a sentence once in a while, and maybe I wouldn't _sound_ so patronizing, you ungrateful bitch!" This nasty verbal swordfight went on for what seemed like an eternity. As the 2 of them grew louder and louder, the other Hawks slowly shrunk down in their seats. Finally, Krala had had enough.

"QUIET!!! BOTH OF YOU!!!" She stood, knocking her plate off onto the floor with a loud "clank." She stared at them both, looking back and forth between them, and shrugged one shoulder at Max. He immediately rose without saying another word, and followed her into the hallway, where they could be heard arguing indistinctly. Finally, the sound of a loud slap, briefly followed by what could only be described as a pained gasp, met the Hawks' young ears. Starling rolled her eyes, and watched with muted interest as the 2 rejoined them. Max was rubbing his cheek and clutching his gut. The Hawks simply let it go. Their "pleasant" meal was interrupted by the sound of a muffled explosion.

"What was _that_?" Finn asked worried. They all knew immediate what was happening when they heard the cackle of Crazy Stork.

"Um... that doesn't sound good, guys..." Junko pointed out. Max rolled his eyes, and all 6 Onyxians drew their weapons, shuffling out into the hallway near Stork's room. They had abandoned their plates of food as bloodlust took the place of hunger, and it was going to be hard for Starling to convince them to calm down enough to join them at the table again. The Storm Hawks followed them, and as they neared the Merb's formerly barricaded room, the Silver Ravens all sheathed their weapons solemnly.

"What? What's going on!?" Piper demanded. Max was kneeling as they approached, and he appeared to be _praying_ in Merb as they drew closer. They looked up to see the tattered remains of Stork's uniform plastered to the ceiling. The Hawks failingly choked back tears until the sound of mad laughter reached them once more. Eyeing the tatters more closely, Starling noticed something odd: no blood.

"Max..." She began, trying to warn the veteran warrior before he did anything else. Naturally, he ignored her. So, she tried again, nudging his shoulder lightly. But before she could do anymore, Stork suddenly jumped out of the dark abyss surrounding them. He leapt up onto an unsuspecting Max, who, quite likely out of instinct, tossed the Merb to the floor roughly. It all happened so fast; none of the other's could believe how quickly Max had recovered. They also couldn't believe the evil smile Stork was wearing. As he headed off down the hallway, streaking as he went, his laughter returned.

"You'll never catch me, Raptors! NEVER!!!!!!" His echoing statement left them stunned. Piper turned expectantly to Aerrow, who could only shrug in confusion. The redhead verbalized the navigator's thought;

"_Now_ what're we gonna do!?"


	4. Chapter 4

"So, what are we looking for again, Max?" Starling asked for the umpteenth time.

"..." Max responded by simply glaring at her. Frustrated by his inattention, she smacked him on the back of the head. She quickly came to regret it. He turned to face her, putting his full strength into one wicked bitch-slap. At 6 times a human's strength, and using the open palm of his hand, it felt like she had been hit with a cinderblock that was going a hundred miles an hour; it literally knocked the wind out of her. As she recovered and regained her composure, he snorted angrily, but never raised his voice higher than a loud whisper.

"What the _FUCK_ was that for!? I'm trying to keep _QUIET_ while I track him, woman!!" His eyes flared with rage as a thin trail of red blood ran down her cheek; his nails had sliced open her skin, leaving a small gash. She wiped it away wordlessly, and simply nodded in agreement. The turn of events stunned the young Storm Hawks; they had never seen such an act of violence from an ally. Piper shot a worried look Aerrow's way, who passed it on to Krala. The veteran Sky Knight merely shook her head; nothing she could say would help them understand his rage. His response to her touch was a deep, very personal issue stemming from his treatment as a youngling. When he was no more than 2 or 3 years old, he had gotten lost in a crowded marketplace. His mother, being the kind, gentle soul that she was, worried herself half to death looking for him. What she found was a terrified young Max, huddled behind a vendor's cart for fear of being attacked again. A group of older human children stumbled upon the wandering Onyxian, and began taunting him mercilessly. The things they did, he _still_ couldn't speak without being brought to tears. But what made it worse was what they did said.

The words still stung fresh in his ears, as though it had been yesterday;

"_Aww, does the little mongrel miss his mommy? Maybe she just got tired of raising a freak!"_

"_I think he's lost, Danny. Maybe he'd like a tour of the back alleys."_

What followed scarred him for life; exactly what they did, and for how long, he could never recall completely. When he came to, he was lying in the street, people stepping over him as though he wasn't there. No, not just people: _humans_. His hatred of humanity had been burned deep into his heart, and every time he saw a human child, he began to tear up, recalling the trauma of his childhood. His personal issues aside, generally he wasn't that easy to enrage. It was the sudden contact that snapped him to respond. The indescribable terror of his mistreatment came rushing back like a dam emptying into a bathtub; his pupils dilated, his jaw tightened, and his hands curled in fists, shaking with fury. The look of bloodlust in his eyes that Starling once saw was too much for one person to possess. Once, a few years ago, some young punk had been foolish enough to try and mug the tall warrior. After quickly disarming the idiot, he made it worse on himself; he spoke, trying to play down his actions as being a prank.

_"What's the matter, mongrel? Can't ya take a joke?"_

What ensued was the nastiest bloodbath Terra Mesa had ever seen. A news crew that happened upon the chaos shied away for fear of being next. Starling did her level best to stop him, but she was roughly tossed aside, and his grisly work resumed. He slowly, torturously ripped the human's limbs off one-by-one, smiling devilishly as he heard the "satisfying crunch" of bones being forced apart and laughing as his victim screamed in agony, begging for mercy. His hands soaked with blood, he ripped out the young man's heart, squeezing it inquisitively. As he continued, Starling couldn't help but feel sick to her stomach. He spilled the unfortunate man's guts into the street, laughing madly as he knelt down and ended it with a snap of his neck. The sadistic pleasure he took in killing this man was beyond her, but for Max, it was better than sex. The release of rage was a rush like no other; killing people was what he, as an Onyxian, was _meant_ to do. With his work finished, he licked his hands clean like an animal, reveling in the taste of blood on his lips. The investigation that followed proved her suspicions; it was what the mugger _said_ that triggered such a response from Max. Never again would she allow him to do this; Starling, at that very moment, made herself a solemn promise never to let that happen again. She did _everything_ she could to keep him calm, even to the point of physically separating him from potential disasters. The kind of carnage he wrought was just too much to witness more than once. Knowing that, she continued to push her luck, coaxing him into arguments she knew would only anger him. But, of course, the Storm Hawks were still young; they didn't need to hear of such wanton cruelty. Suddenly, she was snapped from her thoughts by a nearly unseen blur of green that _almost_ made it past Max. The Onyxian easily closed the gap on the streaking Merb, grabbing him loosely by the neck.

"I finally have you, you little maniac..." He yelled triumphantly. The pilot struggled uselessly against the warrior's superior strength, resorting to clamping down on Max's arm to get free. Fighting through the pain, Max applied a gentle sleeper hold on the naked Merb, slowly forcing him into unconsciousness. As he lowered him to the floor, the tall warrior removed his cloak, wrapped his quarry with it, and proceeded to gently pick him up, cradling him in his arms in a strangely caring manner.

"Max, what's with the motherly treatment?" Starling inquired, but the warrior simply brushed past with a sad look in his eyes. Making his way back to the Merb's room, he gently untangled him from his cloak, layed him down on his bed, and laid the cloak over him caringly. His leaned close, and whispered into his ear;

"Sleep well... baby brother..."


	5. Chapter 5

"_Max_... can you come help me with something?" Starling called out with a sultry moan. She finally did it; she had her man all to herself. It had been so many _long_ weeks since they'd been alone together, she wondered if he remembered anything about the sex life they once had. As her tired, lumbering companion slowly made his way into her bedroom, she sighed with mildly subtle intent. His eyes stared off into space, filled with some enigmatic emotion. She sighed again, this time more urgently, but he still didn't respond. She slowly walked over to him, sexily swaying her hips as she went. What she came upon was a rather grisly sight; his mouth and chin covered with fresh blood. She recoiled a bit, taken aback by the sudden mood killer. But then she realized something; it was _his_ blood. And as he groaned softly, she put 2 and 2 together.

"Is it that time of the month already?" She said in a soft, caring tone. She received a gentle nod and a soft, nauseated groan as a reply. She helped the weary giant off his feet, propping his head up with a spare pillow from her closet. Setting his head back down softly, she kissed his forehead and stroked his cheek.

"You just lie here and rest, Max." She laid down next to him, pulling the covers over them both.

"What did you need help with, Starling?" He quietly asked her. She smiled softly.

"Don't worry about it, love. It's nothing important." She cuddled up against him, and he sighed wearily.

"I've lived too long..." He said cryptically. She raised one eyebrow and peeked at him from over his shoulder, gently pressing her naked body against his back.

"What do you mean, Max? The doctors gave you another dozen years or so... that's plenty of time to-" She stopped short when he placed a finger over her lips, and he turned slightly to look up at her.

"I _should_ be dead... and those doctors, wonderful as they've been, can't reverse the damage..."

"How bad is it?"

"... My left fingertips are starting to go numb..." She sat up, probing said fingertips softly. He suddenly hissed in pain; she must have hit a tender spot.

"The nerve degeneration's beginning, isn't it?"

"Yes..."

"What can I do, hun?" He sighed again, thinking it over.

"Kill the ones responsible... that would at least make me feel better..." His slight smile took her by surprise. She giggled a little.

"Yeah, I'll get right on that..." She replied, eliciting a soft chuckle from him. He abruptly leaned forward, choking and coughing violently. When he'd finally stopped, she had moved him onto his back, laying him flat to look into his half-closed eyes. Her smile returned as he regained his semi-labored breath, and she snuggled into his left shoulder, now on top of him.

"Don't worry, Max... I'll stay with you as long as you'll have me..." She sighed dreamily as her man looked up at her. He smiled again, always a wonderful thing for her to see, and then began to doze off. As he slowly closed his eyes completely, she sighed and laid on top of him, falling asleep within the walls of her own personal fortress.

...

The next morning found Starling woken by the sweet scent of her lover. It was always such a strange thought for her to have, but she couldn't help but think of him that way: sweet. Most people would say that if Max was a flavor, he'd be sour as 50-year-old milk, but she knew better. The light, hormonal aroma that wafted from him always aroused her with too much exposure, so she quickly pulled herself up out of bed, careful not to disturb the man sleeping next to her. He never made any noise when he slept; he didn't snore like her father had, nor did he exhale at an unearthly volume. Max was as quiet as a grave, both when awake and asleep, and it puzzled her that he could _be_ so quiet, as tall as he was and as loud as he could get. A blush stained her cheeks as she thought back to when they first made love; she was a screamer, and that seemed to excite the Onyxian. It turned out _he_ was something of a screamer himself. But she quickly brushed those thoughts aside; they were _highly_ inappropriate for a time like this. As she made her way to the door, tiptoeing slowly, she heard an all-too-familiar voice softly pierce the silence as she moved to open the door;

"Starling, I'd like some of your homemade crentle juice... if there's any left, that is; you don't have to make more just for me..." How did he do that!? He always surprised her after she thought she'd succeeded in not disturbing him. She sighed in defeat.

"Alright, love... I'll bring some back for you..." She replied softly, and she smiled to herself, knowing she'd see he was doing the same if he wasn't facing away from her. As she quietly sneaked onto the bridge, wanting to check on Finn, she saw the blond fast asleep in a chair next to the _Condor_'s controls, which had been placed on autopilot. She suppressed a giggle, and made her way back out. As she reached the kitchen, she was surprised to see Piper already up.

"Good morning, Starling..." The navigator called to her in her cheery, I'm-a-morning-person tone. The veteran turned and smiled, then noticed that she'd made breakfast for 2.

"Expecting company in your room, Piper?" The Interceptor teased. Piper blushed a bit.

"N-no... I just thought I'd make something in case Stork was hungry..." She replied, wielding all the composure she could find. Starling giggled softly, making Piper blush even more.

"What? He still needs food..." She tried defending herself with that angle, but it still failed.

"So, you're going to _feed_ him, are you?" The purple-haired Sky Knight snickered a bit, trying to hold back seemingly-beneath-her childishness. Piper's eyes widened at what her teammate was implying.

"Starling, what's gotten into you!?" She chastised the older woman, and the veteran simply laughed in reply.

"Nothing... I'm just getting a little stir crazy, that's all... I'm not used to being cooped up inside a ship this long..."

"I understand... it's hard to get used to at first... but, tell me something; did you and Max...?" She hesitated to finish the question. Thankfully, Starling picked up on her meaning.

"Not recently, Piper... and not last night, either... y-you would've heard us..." She blushed, and the navigator saw how flustered she was. She decided to change the subject before it got any more awkward.

"So, what's on the agenda today?"

"Well, you guys are in for a treat... Krala's relented to my pleas, and she's going to give us a tour of the _Scimitar_..." The Interceptor nearly lost her balance as Piper seemed to suddenly appear next to her.

"Are you serious!? That's awesome!!" Piper applied her death-hug, much to Starling's dismay.

"Piper! I can't breathe!" She choked out, just as a stern-faced Max joined them. His expression soured, if that was possible, when he saw his mate been manhandled. Or, perhaps more appropriately, _woman_-handled.

"Piper, I suggest you put her down... I wouldn't want to see you get hurt..." His words carried more than enough warning, and the navigator set Starling down gently, laughing sheepishly as she made for the door. Starling scoffed loudly as he came over. Piper didn't actually leave, hiding just inside the hallway with the door still open.

"Max, I _can_ take care of myself..." She poked him in the chest pointedly, which brought Piper's focus down from their faces. His solid-black robe had been tied around the waist, leaving his chest bare. It revealed 2 long scars, one running down from just under each side of his neck, ending near his stomach. His left shoulder was scarred over completely, as though his arm had been sewn back on. It made her wonder; what had he been doing to sustain such grievous wounds? She had noticed a slight limp in Starling's left ankle, but _his_ stride was prefect: a wide, stable gait, his footsteps completely silent. Her attention returned to their faces as Max spoke up.

"I don't care if they get 'chummy' with you... what I just saw was unnecessary..." His voice was always so dark: laced with subtle, unspoken anger. It seemed these 2 had secrets, and being a nosey teenage girl, she _had_ to know; what had they been through together?


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey, there, Storm Hawks... mind if we come aboard, eh?" Suzy-Lu's accented voice flooded the bridge as the occupants looked up from their various tasks. Piper waited for Aerrow's nod, and after receiving it she quickly grabs the radio mike.

"Well, sure, Suzy-Lu. Hang on, we'll get the hangar bay ope-" She was quickly intercepted by Max, who rudely snatched the mike from her hand.

"Just _what _do you think you're doing?" He said dangerously. She gave him an annoyed look.

"I'm inviting another Sky Knight squadron to join us on our ship..." She answered, clearly confused by his question.

"...Convince them not to come aboard..." He slammed the mike down roughly. Everyone gave him a strange look; even Starling raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem, Max?"

"No... it's just that we have a tour to deal with still, and they'll only get in the way..."

"Don't tell me you have something against Blizzarians, Max..." She stated curtly. He laughed nervously, something he _never_ did.

"No, nothing like that... well, at least not _all_ Blizzarians..." He sheepishly added. Starling recoiled in surprise.

"Something about these ones in particular?" He nodded slightly, a nervous look on his face. Starling had never seen Max truly nervous before, and it concerned her greatly.

"Just one: their leader... the _female_..." He grimaced a bit. Starling shot him an accusing glance.

"What _about_ her?" She queried angrily. He moved back a bit, clearly intimidated by the angry Interceptor.

"Well, do you remember when we decided that, to help understand and appreciate each other better, we'd see other people so we could compare our feelings about them to what we felt about each other?"

"Yes... yes I do... well, now that I think about it, you never _did_ tell me who it was you saw before we got back together..." The Onyxian nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Here's the thing about that-"

"Hey, everybody. How ya doing there, Storm Hawks?" Suzy-Lu suddenly cut in, not hearing any of the previous conversations. Aerrow suddenly cut in to greet them, as the Absolute Zeroes filed onto the bridge, whooping loudly in excitement.

"Hey, Suzy-Lu... good to see you guys again..." The redhead shook Suzy's hand, nodding slightly as she smiled.

"Been awhile since we've seen ya, eh..." Suzy scanned the room, looking at all the faces that smiled back. She'd noticed the Silver Ravens' ship alongside, and had hoped she'd see Max again. He was standing near Starling, hiding behind her as best he could.

"Max! There's my Ice Stallion..." She quickly closed the gap between her and the Onyxian, who cowered slightly as she hugged him. He suddenly changed his mind when he felt the warmth of her soft fur, likely triggering a happy memory, and he hugged back.

"Oh, Max... it's been too long. I thought I'd never see ya again, eh..."

"You can't get rid of me _that_ easily, my little Snow Angel..." She giggled sultrily when he said this, and Starling shot him a look of jealousy.

"'Snow Angel'? 'Ice Stallion'!?" He merely shrugged in response.

"What!? Don't tell me you didn't bond at least a _little_ with your 'special friend'..." He smiled as Suzy hugged his mid-section, and rested one hand on her back hesitantly. He gasped and yelped in surprise as she grabbed his ass, squeezing it playfully and making him blush a deep black. As she half-closed her eyes in content, Max laughed nervously.

"I guess we have some catching up to do..." He finally said. She smiled slyly.

"Yeah... tell me; whose avalanche zone are ya yellin' into now, Max?" The Blizzarian's comment caught him by surprise, and the hybrid blushed again as he stuttered wordlessly. Starling's eyes widened in shock when she realized what Suzy's comment actually meant. Abruptly, the warrior cleared his throat, having finally found his voice.

"Yes, well... I'm currently _mated_ to Starling..." The Onyxian ushered the Interceptor to his side as he shyly broke away from Suzy. Starling smiled and nodded politely.

"Hello, Suzy-Lu... it's been awhile since we've seen each other..." Suzy hugged her as she came closer.

"Hey there, Starling... us girlsneed ta catch up, too, dontcha know..." She smiled a bit as Max cowered away from her.

"Oh, c'mere, Max... I won't hurtcha... besides, ya seemed ta liked it rough we were together, eh..." Max blushed again, and seeing him so flustered made Starling wonder how close they'd gotten. As Piper came closer to talk to Suzy, she continued her "harassment" of Max, flirting shamelessly with him, much to the hybrid's dismay.

"Max, are you _sure_ you're feeling alright?" Starling asked concernedly. Max shook his head as Suzy tackled him to the floor. The Interceptor quickly turned her eyes Suzy's way.

"Suzy, what's gotten into you!?"

"Hopefully, Max..." She answered dreamily. The blush on the warrior's face could've darkened the sunlit room.

"C'mon, Suzy... he already told you; he and I are together... and even though he's a lot of man to love, I _don't_ like sharing..." She said icily. Suzy huffed angrily, perched like an animal directly on top of the flailing Onyxian. His hands found her stomach, and as he picked her up, she gasped a bit, not quite sure what he had in mind. Instead of the loving embrace she wanted, he threw her struggling body into a wall with all his might, crunching bone as she hit shoulder-first.

"That's IT! All of you, GET OUT!!!" He thrust his pointed finger toward the door angrily, fuming at Suzy's actions. The Zeroes quickly scattered after helping Suzy-Lu to her feet, and the Hawks were right on their heels, just as desperate to escape. Only he and Starling remained behind.

"Max, what the _hell_ was that!?" She demanded. The hybrid raised his hands, clamped down on her shoulders, and slammed her into the wall, lifting her off her feet with ease.

"_Do not_ presume to be so innocent... I _know_ about you and _Harrier_..." He snarled loudly, his voice dripping with hate. Starling had _never_ seen him this mad at her before, and it literally scared the hell out of her.

"S-so what? You said you d-didn't care who I dated..." She responded nervously, stuttering a bit and whimpering in fear as the Onyxian eyed her suspiciously.

"I lied!" He threw her onto the floor roughly. To her surprise, he didn't use his full strength. If he had, he'd have surely broken her spine.

"Max, what's the big deal? So I dated Harrier... _clearly_ things didn't work out between us..." She tried reasoning with him, but racist fury ran hot through his veins. He stormed off, shoving people out of the way as he went.

"Max, wait... where are you going?" As he turned back, she saw the evil grin on his face.

"I'm going to pay that bastard a little visit..."


	7. Chapter 7

"So, have you seen the new Skimmers they're putting in for the guards around here?"

"Yes! They _are_ great, aren't they?"

"Ahem." The 2 Terra Rex guards turned around to see a tall, cloaked figure standing behind them. The senior guard scoffed haughtily, but turned his attention to the newcomer.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes... tell me where I can find Harrier..." The man replied, voice dripping with venom. The 2 guards shared a look of suspicion.

"I'm afraid he's in a meeting with a few other Sky Knights..." The taller man leapt forward, his hood coming down to reveal one very angry Onyxian. The hybrid slammed the guard head-first into the wall behind them, knocking the other guard away with ease.

"Where!?"

"I'm not authorized to give you that information, sir..." The sergeant remained calm, despite the impeding harm that was upon him. The Onyxian lifted him up by his neck, placing pressure on the human's stomach as he leaned against the wall harder.

"Say that again... so I can _crush_ you..." He said evilly. The older man stuttered a bit, then handed the Onyxian a piece of paper. Satisfied, the tall warrior let him fall to the ground.

"Your _cooperation_ is greatly appreciated..." The Onyxian laughed evilly as he walked back to his Skimmer. As he sped off into the distance and took flight, the 2 guards gathered themselves together and called in the incident to their headquarters.

...

"So, in short, we had no choice _but_ to disarm the bandit, preventing harm to himself and others..." Harrier carried on in front of the Council, several other Sky Knights nodding in agreement.

"HARRIER!!!" A deep voice abruptly yelled outside. The Council turned to stare as the door was forced open.

"Sir, you can't disturb a Council meeting!" The receptionist called after him, hot on the heels of a tall man who now freely barged into the chamber.

"What is the meaning of th-" The Rex Guardian's statement was cut short by a swift jab to the stomach, which knocked him unconscious. The taller man hefted the human over his shoulder, carrying him like a sack of potatoes.

"Excuse me, Councilmen, but I'm afraid Harrier's statement will have to wait. He has... a more _pressing_ engagement..." With that, the tall warrior strode out, Harrier in hand, and got back to his Skimmer, shoving security guards out of the way like they were misguided children. As he cleared the rooftops, he sped away in a bright flash of black energy.

...

"Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God..." Starling paced frantically on the bridge of the _Condor_. She knew what Max was capable of when he was angry, and she worried he'd do something stupid and/or crazy. Krala came up beside her and placed one hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Starling, calm down... the Council knows who he is, and it's not like he'll kill Harrier outright... he'll play with him first, _then_ kill him..."

"Well, that's a _comforting_ way to look at it..." The Interceptor shot back. The Silver Raven recoiled in surprise.

"What's _that _supposed to mean!? You think _I_ want Harrier dead!?" The Onyxian threw her hands in the air dramatically. Starling shook her head.

"No, I think you want him to go on a long vacation, somewhere sunny, Tropica perha- YES, THAT'S WHAT I THINK!!!" The human yelled into the Onyxian's face. The 2 young women stared angrily at each other, both _subtly_ blaming the other for Max's actions. Finally, Aerrow stepped in, with Piper in tow, trying to quell their rage.

"Guys, will you stop it!? We can't go looking for Max _and_ take care of Stork at the same time!" Piper reasoned. The 2 Sky Knights lowered their heads sadly.

"Worry not, miladies... I hath taken care of mine own erstwhile health." A familiar voice rang out. As they turned and looked, Stork stood heroically at the bridge door, one hand on his chest dramatically.

"Stork!? What-what're you doing up so soon?" Piper asked worriedly. The Merb shifted his gaze in her direction.

"It felt a trifle too ghastly in my room, and I thought that mayhap thou couldst give an explanation as to why our environs dost carry the scent of a thousand rotting corpses." The pilot looked around at the bridge, taking in all that was to be seen.

"What an appalling sight..." He turned to stare at Finn with a look of disgust.

"Young man, dost thou have any fairer cloth to keep thine appearance clean-cut?" Finn shook his head, slightly insulted that Stork made such a comment about his uniform.

"Tragic... a dire turn of events, thou hast made it clear..." He said as he turned back toward Starling and Krala, his nose stuck into the air arrogantly.

"Stork? What's with the Terra Rex accent?" Starling asked, her voice carrying a hint of concern sandwiched between curiosity and humor. Piper fought back a few giggles, failing miserably. She burst out laughing, catching all present completely off guard.

"Dost thou find our predicament humorous!?" Stork demanded angrily. Clearly, he was serious. His back was straightened as far as it would go, and he stood and walked rigidly, with a regal bearing. Starling gave the pilot a questioning look.

"Well, no, Stork, we don't... what we find humorous is that you've acquired such an odd accent for a Merb to speak with..."

"Regardless, we canst allow our enemies to claim victory whilst we sit idly, wallowing in defeat..."

"No need to worry anymore... all is well..." Max said as the group turned to him with surprise. They looked up at him, seeing the hog-tied and gagged Harrier slung over his shoulder like a piece of meat.

"Max! Where the hell have you been!?" Starling demanded, and Max gave her _a look_. She immediately silenced herself.

"What? What's going on?" Finn asked worriedly. Starling shook her head.

"Forget it, Finn... let's just forget this whole damned mess..."

"How'd you get there and back so fast!?" Piper asked the hybrid excitedly. Max smiled a bit.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you..." His smile grew bigger as hers faded. Krala graciously stepped in to curb Piper's enthusiasm.

"It's an Onyxian state secret, Piper... I'm afraid we really _would_ have to kill you if we told you..."

"Storm Hawks, ya got company again, eh..." Suzy-Lu called over the radio, somewhat hesitantly.

"Suzy, maybe you guys should come back some other time... now's not really that good for us..." Starling spoke into the radio mike, putting that idea to rest.

"Well... ok, I guess... we just called to tell youse guys that we're gonna head back anyways, eh..."

"Wait, why?" Piper inquired.

"Dunno... just got the call to return, dontcha know..."

"Okay, I guess we'll see you guys later..." As their ships parted, another vessel silently creeped up behind the _Condor_ and _Scimitar_. With the Cyclonian flag waiving from its bridge, the ship silently slid in below, waiting for its opportunity to make itself known...

Author's Note: Thanks go to shaloneSK, whose OC Ruine inspired Stork's delusional behavior. Please don't hate me, SK; I didn't see it coming 'til I read it again after I wrote it. I saw it in my mind as I read that he'd be standing like Ruine, nose in the air and with a hint of arrogance in every word... again, please don't hate me... especially for my in-poor-taste description of Ruine here in this note...

Also, for those who are medieval-English-challenged, I'll translate Stork's quotes for you. They're in order here from start to finish;

"_Don't worry, girls, I'm fine now..."_

"_It smelled in my room, and I came out to see if I could figure out why..."_

"_What a shitty-looking place..."_

"_Don't you have any nicer clothes to wear?"_

"_From what you've said, things don't look good..."_

"_Do you think this is funny?"_

"_Anyway, we can't just sit here and let the enemy win..."_


	8. Chapter 8

"Master, we have the Storm Hawks in our sights..." Ravess reported over the radio. The soft, young voice that responded carried a hint of excitement.

"Perfect... I was hoping you'd find them before they got too close to Onyxian airspace..." Master Cyclonis called back, and as Ravess' lieutenant came over with a report, the archer continued.

"But there seems to be someone escorting them... the ship looks like an imperfect clone of the _Condor_..." She sounded somewhat concerned; she had no idea who was guarding the young squadron.

"That, my dear Ravess, would be the Silver Ravens... I hadn't anticipated _them_ responding to the _Condor_'s call for assistance..." The sorceress showed no fear, as if she wanted Ravess to engage the squadrons.

"What are your orders, Master?"

"Hang back a bit; let's see where these 2 squadrons are going..." The perfectionist did as she was told, quickly ordering her helmsman to chop power and stay in trail, out of sight of the 2 Sky Knight squadron's ships. Suddenly, cannon fire erupted from in front of them. The 2 ships they were following parted their formation, and the "clone" _Condor_ opened fire with its port beam turret. The shock waves emanating through the ship rocked the bridge and took Ravess right off her feet. As their shields went up, the archer regained her composure, just in time to see their black-painted foe bearing down on them. Cannons blazing, the 2 ships converged at a combined speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour, and Ravess ordered hard to starboard to avoid a head-on collision. As the enemy ship went screaming by, her cannons chewed into the port side of the bridge, once more knocking the woman to the floor. 500-pound chunks of razor-sharp metal crashed all around the Talons, and Ravess scrambled to clear the bridge as a shower of sparks and broken glass rained down on them from above. The battered ship groaned in protest as she listed 12 degrees to port, her engines coughing back to life just in time to keep from plummeting toward the Wastelands below.

...

"Our prey has weakened, Krala... shall I destroy it?" Spart asked excitedly.

"No, that's Ravess' command ship... it would be better to capture her crew and press them for information..." The Sky Knight turned to the enlisted pilot at the controls and nodded her approval. The Onyxian swung the _Scimitar_ around, bringing her alongside the ailing Cyclonian cruiser.

"Ma'am, it's the _Condor_... they're asking if we require 'assistance'..." A young sergeant called forward from the back of the bridge. Krala laughed lightly.

"Max is just toying with us... tell them to stand down..."

"Understood." The sergeant swiveled his chair back around and returned his concentration to his headset.

"Bandits: 8 o'clock low!" Spart called out from the port turret. Krala turned on her left heel and grabbed the port periscope. There, in her view, was the Dark Ace... and about 80 Talon Switchblades behind him.

"How sweet... coming to her rescue..." Krala stated with a hint of sarcasm.

"All guns: fire at will!" The cannons recoiling on their mounts lightly shook the bridge as empty shell casings "clanged" to the turret's floor. Hearing the "shuck" of the breeches closing as they rammed fresh shells into the guns, Spart pulled the trigger, and the process repeated. 10 or 12 rounds per minute unloaded on the Switchblades, knocking them out by the bushel. Soon, only the Dark Ace and his wingman remained undamaged. Forced back, he retreated with Ravess' flagship just behind, fleeing for the safety of Cyclonian territory.

"Pursuit course... don't let them get away!" Krala yelled to the pilot, who obeyed without hesitation. Leaving the _Condor_'s area, the _Scimitar_ chased down the wounded ship, the sound of gunfire fading into the open sky as they disappeared from sight.

...

"Um, guys... the Silver Ravens are leaving!" Piper yelled suddenly. In the blink of an eye, as Aerrow began bringing the mike up to his mouth, Max snatched it away from him, "clicking" it twice to make sure it still worked properly.

"Krala, where the hell are you going!? Let them leave... the Battle Fleet can deal with them later..." The _Scimitar_ said nothing in response.

"Krala!" He repeated angrily. Still, nothing.

"Damnit!!" Max slammed the mike onto the table, crossing his arms and growling loudly.

"I don't believe this! They actually left..."

"Max, I'm sure we can catch up to them. No offense, but you did tell me the _Condor_'s faster than the _Scimitar_, didn't you?" Starling offered comfortingly.

"They left without me... they actually left me here with these _humans_..." He sneered nastily, shifting a pointed glare Finn's way.

"Hey, we can hear you, ya know!" Piper cut it angrily, hands on her hips.

"So what!?" He snapped back, shoving his face into hers. As she cowered away, he continued his raging rant.

"You don't get it, do you!? It's always 'what about what _I_ want?' with you humans... none of you ever give a damn about anyone else unless it puts money in your pockets!" The navigator whimpered scaredly as he drew even closer, pressing his face against hers.

"You're very lucky I have self-control, little girl... or I might rip you limb-from-limb..."

"Max!" Starling finally stepped in, shoving him away roughly.

"Now is not the time for your racist slander. Not _all_ humans are morally bankrupt." She came over and began caressing the side of his neck, which elicited a sultry growl from the towering Onyxian.

"Look, until they come back, you're pretty much stuck here, so you may as well play nice... okay!?" She asked condescendingly.

"Mmmm... more of that, and I'll even make friends..." He added lustfully, making her sigh softly.

"There's just know _winning_ with you, is there?" He smiled his big "I'm the man in this relationship" smile.

"Nope..." Another sigh, somewhat loudly.

"So, are we gonna be good?" She added.

"Sure, why not?" He added absently, winking to her suggestively. The Storm Hawks could only stare, mouths agape, at the pair of veterans. As they continued "flirting", Aerrow finally cleared his throat loudly, trying to bring their attention back to reality.

"So, what are we supposed to do now? I mean, can we still reach Terra Merb without their help?" Max came over, scowling angrily, then smiled and slapped him on the back.

"Of course we can! Now, it's only a question of: how _fast_ do you wanna get there?" He leaned down to stare into Aerrow's eyes as the redhead shook his head. He'd been knocked to the floor by the pat on the back, and he'd only just begun regaining his senses when the Onyxian's face suddenly "appeared" in front of his own.

"Ahh!" Aerrow slid across the room, fearful of angering the giant again. Max playfully followed him, toying with the Sky Knight as he drew closer.

"Don't worry, Aerrow... if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have waited this long to do it..." The hybrid remarked evilly, flashing his teeth menacingly.

"Shall we get on with it!? Mine ears hath deceived me if thy presence meaneth a faster approach to our target..." Stork interrupted. The Onyxian sighed loudly.

"Oh, sure... take the fun out of everything, why don't you!?" He said teasingly. Starling giggled.

"You've had enough fun for now, love... let's get back on course, shall we?" The others could only stare as the pair made their way to the helm. Piper finally found her voice.

"Well, let's just hope nothing else happens..."

Author's Note: Stork's translation;

_"Come on! Are we going or not!?"_


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, Max... what's going on?" Starling asked as she quietly sat next to the hybrid. He didn't say anything; he just stared up at the clouds overhead. The _Condor_ had landed, after Piper insisted on a pit stop.

"Atmos to Max... yoo-hoo?" She said jokingly, waving her hand in front of his expressionless face. Still, no response. She sighed softly as she scooted closer, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence. As she looped her arm with his and leaned against his shoulder, his head suddenly snapped back down, startling her quite a bit. She gasped and cleared off to the side, not wanting to upset him.

"Starling, when did you get here?" He asked flatly.

"Oh, a few hours ago... you're getting a bit slow there, hun..." She answered teasingly. His soft chuckle told her he was fine.

"Really?"

"Really..." She kissed him softly, enjoying herself as he slid his long tongue into her mouth. As he pulled her closer, his strength surprised her a bit, and she landed roughly on top of him.

"Mmm, Max... so _forceful_..." She said in a fake condescending tone. His sultry chuckle was quickly joined by one of her own, and as they stared into each other's eyes, they drew ever closer. Suddenly, they seemed to have a guest; Max's eyes left her as he silently motioned off to the side. They drew into a passionate kiss anyway, determined to put on a show for their Peeping Toms. Not realizing that it was the entire squadron, they pulled each other even closer, only to be interrupted by Aerrow clearing his throat pointedly.

"Is this a bad time? 'Cause we can always come back..." Piper said playfully. As they broke their kiss, Max suddenly growled menacingly, making the navigator (as well as the rest of them) jump back in fear.

"_Go_... _away_..." He said dangerously; he was ready to go, and he didn't care what he had to do to be alone with her. Starling knew immediately what the problem was, and sought to straighten everything out.

"Give us a minute, here, would you!?" She yelled exasperatedly. The Hawks nodded in unison, and slipped away. She then turned back to Max, who'd disappeared.

"Now, where were we?" He called to her. He was now standing over the young woman, staring her down as though he was going to _take_ what he wanted by force. He purred with delight as she stood up, but grunted in disapproval when she placed a finger on his lips.

"Not now, love... _later_..." She beckoned him closer, and he followed her back into the ship.

...

"Just _what_ were you doing up there!? Stork demanded angrily. Max glared at him as he removed his cloak.

"Well, Stork, it's good to hear you back to your normal-"

"Answer me!" The Merb repeated.

"What difference does it make to _you_?" The warrior shot back.

"Because while you 2 were up there getting your rocks off, we could've been attacked by something!" He yelled into Max's face, blowing the Onyxian's hair around dramatically. Max remained unfazed by the show of rage.

"And why does that concern _me_? Who says I wouldn't just let you die?" He retorted in disgust. Stork was taken aback. He looked over the tall hybrid; Max raised an eyebrow as he circled around the taller man.

"Do I... know you?" The pilot finally inquired. Max smiled evilly.

"Only a little..."

"Really? You don't look familiar... although you _do_ remind me of someone I knew when I was younger..."

"Do tell, little Merb... who do I remind you of?" The Onyxian drew closer, bearing down on him menacingly. The Merb cowered away scaredly, whimpering as the towering giant grew closer.

"Isn't somebody gonna stop this guy!?" Stork yelled in desperation. Finally, he had the Merb backed into a corner.

"No, Stork... no one can save you from me..." His evil smile widened impossibly, the Onyxian suddenly lunged to attack. As all present gasped, and Stork screamed in terror, Max began giving the helpless pilot a noogie. The Onyxian laughed loudly as the Merb pleaded for his life.

"It has been _so_ long since I've gotten to do that!" His laughter continued as he let Stork fall to the floor in disarray. He stared up at him from his prone position on the floor, and realization dawned on him. His lips curled into a smile, and as he stood back up, he joined the tall warrior in laughter. All present shared a look on concern as Starling came over to Max's side.

"Max, what was that!?"

"What!? You've never seen a _noogie _before?" His laughter slowly faded, as did Stork's.

"Um, okay... what's going on here?" Piper asked hesitantly.

"They laughed. Why did they laugh!?" Finn queried scaredly. Their looks grew even more suspicious as Max placed his hand on Stork's shoulder.

"What? I'm just having some fun with Stork... what's wrong with that?" He stated defensively.

"Well, nothing, it's just... I've never seen you so... _personable_... before." Starling answered worriedly.

"Yeah, well... that happens when you're not family..." Stork replied flatly. The Hawks stared at the back of his head as he turned to take his place at the controls.

"What do you mean, Stork?" Aerrow inquired. Max shot him a dirty look.

"So judgmental, these _humans_... how can you stand it here?" He directed the last part of his sentence toward Stork.

"Well, these guys... have their moments." The Merb cryptically answered. Aerrow shook his head.

"Can somebody tell me what's going on!?" The redhead was beginning to lose his patience. He came over and tried to push past Max, who loomed over the whole group like an angry cloud. When he brushed up against him roughly, the tall hybrid snarled angrily and slapped the Sky Knight across the face, knocking him to the floor.

"Back off, hotshot, or I'll gut you like a fish!" He pulled his kamas free, readying them to slice open Aerrow's throat. The redhead whimpered a bit before regaining his resolve, drawing his weapons and swiping at Max's feet. To his amazement, Max landed on his feet, roughly kicking him in the back of the head before landing behind him. Aerrow rolled over to bring his blades to bear, but the Onyxian was gone. Starling ran over to Aerrow, staring down at him.

"You have _no_ idea who you've just pissed off..." She looked up at the hole in the _Condor_'s roof over where Max had just been. Now, they had a bigger problem; how were they going to bring the Onyxian back?


	10. Chapter 10

"Sir, I'm afraid you've had your fill..." The middle-age barkeep stated bluntly to the grey-skinned Onyxian sitting across the counter from him. The young hybrid grunted in disapproval but said nothing. After dropping a small sack of gold coins on the counter, he downed the rest of the red liquid in his glass, setting it next to a half-dozen others, all empty. As he did, he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that he was being watched. He slothfully turned and glared as pointedly as he could manage.

"You got a problem!?" The warrior shouted drunkenly. His voice softened when he saw who was staring back at him.

"Starling? What're you doin' here?"

"Bringing you back to the _Condor_, Max... what else would I be doing in a bar?" She answered slyly. His eyes glassy with alcohol, he looked down at her with one eyebrow raised curiously.

"Well, forget it! I'm, I'm... I'm not goin' back..." His legs nearly failed him as Max stood up from the bar. Starling rushed to his side, but he lazily pushed her away in defiance.

"I don't need yer help!" He stated proudly. Almost immediately after saying this, the tall hybrid fell face first onto the floor. The Interceptor sighed loudly as she helped the giant back to his feet.

"Okay, maybe I _do_ need yer help..." He reasoned. She scoffed loudly as he turned to sit back down. She clung to his arm, somehow getting him back to his feet once more.

"_No_, Max... it's time to go home..." The Onyxian stared down at her in disbelief.

"Didn't ya just hear me!? I said 'I'm not goin' back!'"

"You _are_ going back, if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming..."

"But I don't want to!" He whined loudly, alerting several bar patrons to his "plight." They began to circle around Starling.

"Listen here, missy; if he says he ain't goin', then he ain't goin'..." One particularly burly customer said dangerously as he drew the closest. Suddenly, Max cracked him over the head with an empty bottle, breaking it into a million pieces and knocking the unruly man unconscious.

"Hey! Nobody threatens my mate!" He shouted in a strangely clear-headed voice. Angered by the "unprovoked" act of violence, the rest of the patrons began ganging up on the hybrid. It was a _big_ mistake.

"Ya wants a fight? We'll gives ya a fight!" Another shouted before trying to deck the tall warrior. In a blurred motion, Max gave the drunken brawler a bone-jarring uppercut, and began fighting with everything he had. The patrons tried again and again to take the Onyxian down, but even with nearly 50-to-1 odds against him, Max prevailed, defeating all of them with relative ease. The fighting finally over, Starling made her way out from under a half-broken table, having been knocked aside in the opening attacks. She softly rubbed her bumped head, trying to ease the pain. Seeing the devastation, her jaw dropped in awe. Sheets of broken glass and shards of splintered wood were everywhere.

"Max, that was absolutely amazing! How in the Atmos did you-" As she turned around, she stopped speaking mid-sentence. In the midst of the downed patrons, Max collapsed to the floor in a drunken stupor, stirring up a huge cloud of dust as he passed out. He was covered in cuts and scrapes caused by broken bottles and shattered barstools.

"Max! C'mon, love, stay with me!" She did her best to haul him over to the counter, where she quickly pulled a powder mix out of his belt and added its contents to a strangely untouched glass of water. She eyed the mysterious survivor skeptically, unwilling to belief it didn't get broken in the insanely furious fight. After mixing it up, she poured the greasy blue substance down the unconscious Onyxian's throat, and began counting out loud.

"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2..." She suddenly delivered a swift jab to his ribs, making him shoot up at lighting speed.

"Who!? What!? Where!?" Max looked from side to side rapidly; apparently, he didn't remember the bar fight only moments ago. He started rubbing his temples and hissed in pain.

"Ahh! My head! It feels like I just used it for an anvil!" He shouted to no one in particular. He eyed Starling next to him, then looked around slowly.

"What the hell am I doing in a _bar_!?"

"Drinking, you wonderful idiot..." She answered teasingly. He shook his head.

"Yes, I can see that..." He chuckled a bit, which took her by surprise. She smiled slyly as he slowly stood up.

"Careful, hun... you only just woke up..." She grabbed his waist and helped him stand, watching in silent amazement as he slowly made his way toward the door.

"C'mon, Max... let's get back to the _Condor_... the Storm Hawks are worried about you..."

"Impossible... they don't even _know_ me..."

"That doesn't really matter, love... trust me, it doesn't..." She smiled a bit as he looked down at her. His abrupt yawn told her he couldn't fly back, so she helped him onto Red Streak, and away they went. As she piloted her vehicle, somewhat clumsily because of the extra weight of her passenger, Max turned around and whistled back behind them.

"Max, who're you whistling to?"

"Coltemach... who else?"

"Your Skimmer? Why would you-" She suddenly caught sight of the heavy, black-painted aircraft barreling toward them. As it neared, it pulled into formation abreast of Red Streak, no pilot in sight.

"Max, how did you do that!?"

"Sound-activated autopilot... carefully tuned to seek out my voice, but accepts only that form of sound because of its programming..."

"Yes, that's all well and good, but how does it know where you are?"

"Sorry, love... I can't tell you that..." Starling sighed softly, calling it a day; who knew she'd signed up to be a grown man's babysitter when she mated with Max?

...

_Meanwhile, aboard an unseen ship near the _Condor_..._

"My lord, we're approaching the coordinates..." A white-skinned female warrior bowed respectfully to the white-haired, black-skinned Onyxian male sitting regally on the cast-silver throne. He shifted his ornate headband slightly as his intense eyes looked up from a scroll to greet her.

"Very well... begin searching for the Silver Ravens' ship..." He replied. Again, the female bowed reverently.

"Yes, Sire..."


	11. Chapter 11

As Piper walked through the halls on the lower deck of the _Condor_, a curious sound caught her attention: a voice, dark and mysterious but obviously male. As she followed the sound to its source, she stopped outside a supply closet when she realized who it was: Max.

"You cannot be serious, can you?" He said. A low response from an unheard source faintly echoed.

"Just a few more days, my lord... I can break them..." Another response, too low to be heard clearly.

"_No_, Sire... I will _not_ kill them afterward... they are my mate's friends..." He replied indignantly. Piper placed her ear against the wall, but suddenly heard nothing. Then, she heard footsteps approaching the door next to her. She scrambled to find a hiding place, and managed to just as the door slid open softly.

"Yes, my lord... I will be sure to get what I need from the young girl... however, she has proven to be... more observant than most..." Max lightly walked past the navigator's hiding spot, idly listening to a radio transceiver mounted on his forearm.

"Yes, Sire... everything is going as planned... you have my word..." Max carried on as he walked down the hallway. Piper silently tiptoed along behind, sure she had discovered a Cyclonian plot.

"You will have a tactical report by late tonight. We will move in with assault teams at 2357 exactly. Once our troops are aboard, be sure to secure the Merb without injury." Max's conversation seemed to be about the Storm Hawks: "_It's the only logical explanation_", Piper thought.

"And watch out for that Sky Knight... he will likely resist with all his strength. Leave him to me." Max suddenly spun around, catching the young woman by the throat.

"Excuse me for a moment, my lord... I have some business I must attend to..." Piper's eyes grew wider as he smiled evilly.

...

"_Let go of me! Let go!_" That's what Piper wanted to say. But with a gag keeping her mouth firmly shut, she could hardly breathe, let alone speak. The monstrous contraption that held her mouth closed was making her jaws hurt, and she could feel some sort of liquid slowly oozing from the corner of her tortured lips.

"Don't worry, my dear... it's only your saliva... it isn't _nearly_ tight enough to make your mouth bleed..." Max suddenly stated. His soft chuckle only made her panic more, but her fighting was totally useless; with his strength and size, she couldn't even swing her feet clear of his reach before he had her back into the uncomfortable fetal position that kept her on top of his shoulders. He slammed her onto the floor roughly, nearly cutting her head on the edge of a metal table. Then, to her surprise, he removed the gag from her mouth, turning a screw until it fell to the floor, releasing the device's painful grip.

"Now, tell me; what should I do with you?" His piercing stare kept her terrified; if she screamed, he would likely slash her throat, silencing her for good. She gulped loudly, lips trembling in fear.

"Wha-what do you mean?" She replied softly. He raised one eyebrow.

"I mean, what should I do about you eavesdropping on my _private_ conversation with the Chancellor?"

"Let me... go?" She joked softly, hoping he'd laugh and release her. When he didn't move at all, she hung her head tiredly. She thought this was the end.

"That was not very nice... and to think, I was going to come to you for advice..." Piper's head shot up as he said this, eyes wide with disbelief.

"What!? What could you possibly need _my_ help with, you traitor!?" She yelled angrily. He laughed softly.

"I thought you would get a rise out of that... no, dear child, I have no intention of taking over the _Condor_... you see, I knew that you were following me, and I thought I would use code to throw you off base..." He grinned innocently as he replayed the message from the "Chancellor". It was a recorded message, one Max clearly made himself. She looked at the floor and shook her head, groaning in embarrassment.

"I know none of you trust me, which I why I pulled this stunt... I wanted to see who would be stupid enough to follow me around and see what I was up to... I have to say, I never thought it would be you..."

"What do you want, Max?" Piper said, finally giving up on trying to figure out the Onyxian.

"I need some advice on... a romantic evening..." He said hesitantly. Piper burst out laughing.

"_What!?_ Are you kidding me!? _That's_ what this is all about!?" Her outburst was cut short by an angry growl and a foot to the chest, which made her cry out in pain. Max sighed loudly, clearing his mind of any further violent thoughts.

"I'm sorry... it's just, I'm not used to being laughed at by _humans_..." He said the final word with disgust.

"Ya know, Starling's human, too, Max..." Max sighed again, softer this time.

"Which is why I need your help..."

"Why the pretext, then?"

"I didn't think you'd _actually_ help me if I asked you directly..."

"Why not?"

"Because humans _suck_ at being reliable, that's why!" He suddenly got up and paced around angrily, trying not to hit her again. She could tell from his posture and tone that he was trying to be polite and courteous, and his attempts, however ineffective, she truly appreciated. She cleared her throat a bit, and then began again.

"Okay, Max... let me make sure I have this correct... you want me to help you plan a romantic evening... with _Starling_, right?" She said hesitantly. He turned to her and nodded softly.

"Well, you could've just asked, Max... you didn't have to trick and kidnap me!" She shouted, hoping to alert her still-absent squadron mates.

"Please, stop shouting! I don't want the whole Atmos knowing I have _no_ idea how to be romantic the way humans are... especially since the whole Atmos knows I'm _mated_ to a human..." He shuffled his feet nervously.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, ya know... nobody's perfect..." She reasoned.

"Tell that to my father... heartless bastard..." He looked down at his feet sadly.

"What do you mean, Max?"

"Well, when I was born, I guess, he was happy to have a son... then, as I got older, Mother and I noticed his attitude toward me changed... he started getting angry with me over the smallest things: forgetting to put my toys away, getting up on nights I couldn't sleep and getting a snack from the refrigerator to soothe my nerves, not getting perfect grades in school..." He continued staring at his feet, tears slowly welling up in his normally dispassionate eyes.

"Max, I... I had no idea... I just assumed you hated _everybody_..." Piper responded quietly, her own eyes slowly tearing up.

"I didn't want to be a doctor like Father was... I wanted to fight, and he said, 'Son, you will never succeed if you aren't serious about your future'... he made me sit, naked, in boiling-hot water for 3 hours every time I talked back to him... force-fed me strek flies, which are poisonous, if I didn't eat my dinner..." Tears streamed down the warrior's pale face, soaking the collar of his uniform. Piper couldn't help but feel sorry for him; he seemed so... damaged.

"Max! Where have you been!? We've been waiting for-" Starling stopped mid-sentence when she came to see what was going on.

"Max!! What the _hell_ are you doing to Piper!?" She demanded angrily. She slapped him across the face, hard.

"I can't believe you... you skipped our romantic dinner for... whatever the hell it is you're doing down here... you heartless bastard... I should've expected this from you... you _always_ find some way to get out of joining me alone like you know I enjoy... don't bother saying anything; I'll just go..." She turned around, crying softly as she made her way back up through the ship. Max stretched out his hand as if to stop her, then sighed in defeat, letting his hand drop to his side. Piper cleared her throat again, this time much louder.

"You know, this may be perfect!"

"What're you blathering on about now!?"

"I'm thinking, maybe we can find a nice, quiet, out-of-the-way place for you guys to spend an evening, alone. You sit her down, explain the situation, show her a small meal for 2, and she'll forget all about just now, Max..." The hybrid placed one hand on his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. As he finally released the now cramping-up navigator, he sighed sadly.

"But I don't know how to cook..."

"Don't worry about it... leave everything to me..."


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: Warning! Hot and heavy StarlingxOC action ahead.

"My lord, the Chancellor's Barge is ready for lowering." Krellyn, a white-skinned female, stood proudly to the side of the Onyxian Chancellor. The white-haired elder strolled up to the young messenger, nodded curtly, and began walking down the corridor leading to the lowering davits. The guard, seeing his cue to return, quickly led the other Guardsmen behind him. The female at the aged warrior's side nervously toyed with the ornate handle of her falchion. She knew it was a terrible idea for the Chancellor to leave the _Basilisk_'s safety for too long, but he had insisted on meeting these "Storm Hawks" personally. And what the Chancellor wants, the Chancellor gets. As they neared the cruiser-sized vessel docked neatly on the _Basilisk_'s starboard side, she ushered the Guardsmen forward, and they quickly took up the lead in front of them. As the Chancellor's right hand, she was at his beck and call whenever he needed her. And right then, the Marshall felt something was going to happen. As the thick, armor-plated hatch closed behind them, she felt the davits cut them loose, releasing the vessel from the _Basilisk_, and the sudden forward shift of the main engines suddenly throttling to full power caused her muscles to tighten. This would not end well. She knew it was a mistake. And failing to voice that concern, she watched her ruler wordlessly make his way to the bridge, his staff clanking on the deck every other step.

...

"Max, you wonderful person, you... you shouldn't have..." Starling's soft voice permeated the otherwise serene meadow where she and the hybrid sat, peacefully enjoying a quiet picnic together on this secluded paradise. As usual, however, the grumblings of that same hybrid came to her attention.

"You're right... I really _shouldn't_ have... it's going to be dark soon, my feet are soaking wet, and I'm sure I'll get a rash from this blanket!" The warrior whined. The Interceptor rolled her eyes; she knew he didn't like being in the open too terribly long. The fact that he didn't run away making some excuse about being needed on the _Condor_ made his complaints tolerable.

"Max, you _said_ you'd have a good time too... and don't tell me you're here to be romantic with me... _you_ wouldn't know romantic if it bit you in the ass..." The Onyxian glared at her defensively.

"That's not true! Don't you remember that books of poems I got for you on your birthday last year?" The young woman blinked slightly.

"Oh, yes... _that_... that doesn't count, Max... it was nothing but epic war poems... there _were_ no romantic themes in it..."

"You mean, you don't find making love in a freshly-bloodsoaked battlefield romantic?" He replied disbelievingly. She shook her head and groaned disgustedly. He "hmphed" haughtily and turned away.

"'Wouldn't know romant-' I find that humans tend to use that word far too carelessly... as they do with _love_... and _trust_." He moaned in protest as she came up behind him and massaged his tense shoulders. After a few moments, however, he surrendered to her touch and relaxed, letting her work her magic. He moaned in pleasure as she moved her hands softly, digging lightly into the skin of his back. He yelped a bit in surprise as she pushed a little too hard into his left shoulder blade, making him jerk forward slightly. She moaned in delight as he growled sultrily, digging his nails into his thigh as she moved to kiss his neck. The warmth of her lips against his skin made him squirm lightly as she moved down to kiss his back, slowly unzipping his uniform. He shuddered as she moved her hands down to his hips, slowly sliding his uniform down around his ankles as she slid into his lap. The naked Onyxian sitting in front of her only whimpered a bit as she traced her fingers along the scars on his chest. She moved to unzip her uniform, and she gasped lightly as he quickly pulled the zipper down, smiling lightly as she moved to get out of her armor-laden suit. Discarding his own suit, he climbed on top of her, planting his face between her large, round breasts. He heard her moan in pleasure as he nuzzled into her breasts, moaning louder as he began to lightly lick and suck on the end of her erect nipples. As he kneaded the soft mounds of titflesh, she placed her hands on top of his, begging him for more. He moved to penetrate her, gently sliding in as he placed his hands on her hips for leverage. She panted as he began to thrust into her, lightly at first and then louder after only a few moments. Soon, she was openly screaming his name to the heavens above, clutching his shoulders as he bounced her up and down in his lap. Her back arced as she finally came, feeling his muscles tighten as he came as well. She panted heavily and rolled onto her back besides him as he layed down. As she closed her eyes contently, she heard rustling in the bushes nearby. Realizing she was naked and, perhaps more importantly, unarmed, she quickly rolled to grab her nunchucks. By that time, Max was up on his feet, kamas pulled free and powered up as he scanned the area. He was still naked as the day he was born, but the idea of modesty was lost on him when a potential threat was close. She quickly took up a position next to and slightly behind him, hoping to keep from being surprised. As the brush parted down the middle, Piper, Aerrow and Finn came into the clearing, the boys talking to each other idly as the navigator looked over a map in her hands. Her sudden scream of terror brought their attention to the pair, clad in nothing more than a slight breeze. Max blushed a deep black as he was pelted from behind by Starling's incessant cries of embarrassment. The trio of humans shielded their eyes and turned around to give them some privacy. They dressed as quickly as they could, and Piper resisted the urge to turn and look as Max yelled in pain, likely being attacked by Starling for choosing such an open and exposed place to make love. Finally dressed, the two lovebirds cleared their throats to get the three Hawks to turn around.

"Were we... disturbing you?" Aerrow asked hesitantly. Piper rolled her eyes.

"Aerrow, we found them. Let's leave it at that." She turned to face Max, who growled angrily and moved closer to her.

"Max, what's wrong?" Starling asked as she came over to his side, stopping him with a hand on his arm.

"It was Piper's suggestion..."

"What was?"

"This whole thing... the picnic, the time alone... I improvised that last part, though..." He declared proudly, which made her giggle softly.

"Maybe there _is_ hope for you, Max..." She responded. He scratched the side of his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Guys, we've got to be getting back. Someone called 'Krellyn' is calling on the radio for you, Max..."


	13. Chapter 13

"Grey Ghost, this is _Nightmare_. Do you read me? Over." A soft, female voice filled the otherwise silent bridge of the _Condor_. Stork nervously picked up and set down the radio mike, uncertain if he should answer. Knowing what tends to happen to spies (or anyone Onyxians accuse of being a spy), he opted not to respond. At first.

"Argh! I can't take it anymore!" The Merb yelled after the 16th attempt to reach them came through. "_Damn, Onyxians are persistent._" Stork thought.

"_Nightmare_, this is the _Condor_. Who is Grey Ghost? Repeat: who is Grey Ghost? Over." The pilot had spent enough time on Onyx to learn their standard radio chatter: the name of the aircraft being called, the name of the aircraft calling it, the question or statement, and "Over" to punctuate the end of the transmission. When he received no further reply, he thought he'd said something wrong. Then, the voice came back.

"_Condor_, this is _Nightmare_. Your transmission is breaking up. Say again. Over."

"_Nightmare_, this is _Condor_. Who is Grey Ghost? Over."

"_Condor_, _Nightmare_. I can't divulge that information over an open frequency. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until we close the distance and are able to dock. Over."

"_Nightmare_, if you're looking for Maximillian Saer, he's not here. A few members of our crew are out trying to locate him. Over."

"_Condor_, _Nightmare_ acknowledges. Send us a signal once he's back aboard. Over and out."

"_Nightmare_, _Condor_ acknowledges. Over and out." Stork sighed loudly as he hung the radio mike back on its stand. The last few days had been a truly harrowing ordeal. He'd received terrible news at the hospital: Chronic Panic Attack Syndrome. Although he was relieved to have an answer to what was going on, it still bothered him. Why, after 2 years with the Storm Hawks, would he _suddenly_ have this disorder? Junko stared in confusion as the Merb paced nervously while mumbling to himself.

"Stork, you feelin' okay?" The Wallop hadn't been privy to the whole situation with the pilot's health; Aerrow and Piper hadn't wanted to worry him too much.

"No, Junko, I'm not. I'm afraid that if we don't get Max back here soon, the _Nightmare_'s gonna open fire on us." He answered worriedly. Junko's eyes widened in fear. Radarr, who, for some reason, had elected to stay behind, chirped disbelievingly.

"But, they wouldn't just start shootin' at us for no reason, would they?"

"Oh, they'll arrive in the area and tell us who they are. Then, they'll start blasting! They don't need a reason! The _Condor_ would never survive that kind of beating! We're gonna die! We're all doomed!!" The Merb received a slap across the face by Radarr, who growled something that probably would've translated as "Get a grip!" Stork put one hand on his cheek defensively, then it dawned on him what the furball had done. He quickly regained his composure.

"Uh, guys, I think we should get outta here." Junko suddenly stated scaredly. When Stork turned to look at what made the engineer afraid, his eyes grew as wide as saucers. There, not 600 yards in front of them, was the largest vessel the Atmos had ever seen. The Merb was amazed that it didn't activate their proximity alarm; most ships do, and a vessel of this size would be a giant bull's-eye for their first line of defense. Thinking quickly, Stork yanked the controls back as hard as he could, trying desperately to avoid a collision with the colossal ship. As the _Condor_ cleared its bow (barely), the three Storm Hawks got a good look at their new neighbor. The ship stretched as far back as the eye could see, darkening the sky below with its titanic shadow. The Hawks stared in utter disbelief at the sheer size of the massive main battery; just one of the octuple-gun turrets was easily 10 times as big as the _Condor_, and she had 24 such gun mounts on her. The eight-barreled behemoths toward the front of the ship swung out to starboard one-by-one, giving a clear line of sight to the multitudes of smaller weapons lining the sides of her main deck.

Suddenly, a blanket of flak bursts covered the _Condor_, the aforementioned guns opening fire at the tiny carrier silhouetted against the flying castle below them. Stork did his best, but the sea of glowing tracers and shrapnel was just too large to avoid for very long. After a mere 2 minutes, the _Condor_ had been repainted a smoky black, her pontoons perforated thoroughly. When the gunfire ceased as suddenly as it began, the badly-shaken Hawks collected themselves physically and mentally. The _Condor_ was still aloft, but she was severely damaged. Her rudder hung in tatters on the stern, and her battered hull creaked and groaned in agony. Severed electrical lines crackled in anger as sparks showered the bridge meeting table. Stork let out a huge sigh of relief, seeing his beloved ship still airborne. But now, he wanted answers.

...

"General, it appears we've underestimated the durability of this vessel. She remains afloat after taking such a massive beating." A young female sergeant reported eagerly to her commander: a stone-faced, white-skinned Onyxian male with an extremely clean-cut black uniform, cuffs clad in silver service bracelets and chest adorned with multicolor award ribbons. His left eye had been crudely cut out and replaced by a black striker crystal long drained of its power, and an ornately-engraved, diamond-studded sheath covered the blade of his officer's sword.

"I see... in that case, prepare a fin-"

"General, we've finally identified her: the _Condor_." A 30-something colonel reported from his station toward the rear of the expansive bridge. The weary general sighed loudly.

"It seems that we were too eager to open fire. Very well, send out repair team Blue-73."

"Aye, sir!" As the sound of "Repair team Blue-73, report for deployment!" rang over the intercom, the rhythmic "thump" of thousands of feet vibrated the decks, as men and women of the ship's damage control teams rigged towing lines and charged towing pods to bring the wounded ship aboard for repairs. This was nicely drowned out in the hangar bay by the cool and collected sounds of leaders shouting orders to their team members.

"Repair team Blue-73-1, ready towing pods 6J, 7D, 8L, and 9Q."

"Yes, sir!"

"Pod 11H is ready now, sir!" Very soon, four small, single-seat pods made their way over to the barely-alive _Condor_, who by now was heavily listing to port. As the Hawks watched helplessly, the four pods clamped towing lines to the run-down carrier, drew them taut, and began dragging the limping ship into a large hangar bay on the starboard side. As the door closed behind the _Condor_, only the sound of the massive ship's enormous engines filled the sky, leaving no trace of the gun battle that preceded its lumbering departure.


	14. Chapter 14

As Junko, Stork and Radarr sat next to each other on a plush, brocade bench outside the hangar bay they'd been pulled into, an enormous amount of noise could be heard from behind the thick steel wall behind their heads.

"So, it is safe to assume that you are the Storm Hawks?" The tall, statuesque General Keltar paced in front of them, trying to decide whether or not to inform the Chancellor of his _accidental_ discovery.

"Well, yeah... who else would we be?" Junko offered peaceably. The veteran warrior eyed the young Wallop suspiciously, gartering a nervous laugh from him, then turned his knowing gaze to the Merb at his side.

"Where is the rest of your squadron, Merb?" His tone carried only a tinge of respect. Perhaps he was angry because he was taken by surprise when the _Condor_ came into view, and therefore felt embarrassed by the fairly unexpected visitors. Perhaps he was upset because he'd shot the Storm Hawks' ship full of holes, and they were supposed to be meeting the Chancellor. No one can say for sure, but something about the young squad mates sitting in front of him made the general feel uneasy.

"Out." The pilot's short, curt answer drew the general's attention.

"Out where?"

"Out and about." The Onyxian realized he wasn't going to get a straight answer from him, so he turned once more to the Wallop.

"Where?"

"Um... I don't really think I should tell you..." Junko answered nervously. Keltar smiled evilly.

"Really? And why is that?"

"Well, 'cause you shot up the _Condor_..."

"That's going to be fairly hard to prove in a few hours." The general evoked an unexpected reaction from the Merb pilot.

"What are you doing to our ship!?" Keltar's surprising response was to laugh loudly.

"Your ship is being repaired, as per the Battle Fleet's standard operating procedure..."

"You're fixing the _Condor_? Ooh! Can we see?" Junko joined in.

"No!! You're too much of a security risk!" Keltar yelled at them angrily, quietly muttering to himself as he went over a few things in his head.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here for now. I'm afraid we're also going to have to place you under guard. That way, we can keep an eye on you until I sort this out." The general turned to a pair of young soldiers and clapped his hands together commandingly, signaling to them to join him near the Hawks.

"These men will be escorting you, should you require relief or refreshments." The general turned and yelled something down the hallway. Stork's ears perked up a bit as he heard Onyxian being spoken.

"I'm afraid I must return to my duties elsewhere. Can I trust that you'll stay out of trouble while I'm gone?" He eyed them playfully, as if coaxing them into misbehaving. The three gulped nervously as he wandered down the hallway, going deeper into the ship.

...

"C'mon, Max... why can't you admit you had fun for a change?" Starling pestered the Onyxian as he flew Coltemach silently. He hadn't said a word to anyone since their fairly embarrassing encounter with the Storm Hawks, and she had a hunch that he was upset over the whole ordeal.

"Because my definition of 'fun' is not being naked in an open field with my mate's friends traipsing around in the woods close by. That's why." He replied angrily.

"Oh, don't be that way, Max. You know you enjoyed what we did just before that." She cooed in a sing-songy voice. To her relieve, he chuckled sultrily.

"Well, I couldn't help it... _that_ was fun..." He replied, chuckling a bit more. He smiled as she joined him.

"Well, if you promise to play nice, you might get some more when we get back..."

"Really? Well, I just hope you can keep up..."

"Uh, guys, that's kinda creepy..." Aerrow suddenly cut in, suppressing the urge to vomit.

"Aerrow, maybe we should stay out of it..." Piper suggested, trying not to upset either of the older pair.

"Yes, maybe you should..." Max glared pointedly as he stared at the trio flying behind him. As he turned to face forward, he noticed nothing but open sky.

"Where the hell's the _Condor_?" He demanded somewhat angrily. Piper checked over her maps.

"It should be right here."

"Really!? No shit!" The Onyxian retorted.

"Max, calm down. With these clouds rolling in, it's possible we've just missed them. Let's have a look around, shall we?"

"No, I have a better idea. _You_..." He turned to the Skimmers and Heliscooter behind him. "... stay here and wait for us to return. If we find them, we'll send you the coordinates."

"Max, why should they stay behind? What's to say _they_ shouldn't go look for the ship and _we _stay behind?"

"But, I... but..." The warrior sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I don't care."

"C'mon. Don't be that way. You just wanna get me alone with you, don't you?" She cooed softly, nibbling on his ear as he moaned lightly.

"W-well, yes, I- ahh..." He leaned into her embrace as she wrapped her arms around his chest and bit down harder, licking and sucking on his earlobe as she gently sunk her teeth into the sensitive flesh. He shuddered a bit at the feeling, slightly releasing his grip on the controls as his moans of pleasure grew louder. She saw this, and stopped immediately.

"C'mon, Max... you can wait until we get back to the ship... that way, we won't crash into the Wastelands." Suddenly, a loud air horn could be heard some distance away, closing on them rather quickly.

"What is _that_?" Piper asked worriedly. A ship bearing Onyxian Battle Fleet markings caught up with them, and Max immediately recognized the identification numbers: the _Nightmare_.

"_That's_ the _Nightmare_, the Chancellor's transport when he needs to land. I wonder what it's doing all the way out here."

"_Nightmare_ calling Grey Ghost. Come in, please." A feminine voice broke out over the radio.

"What!?" Max demanded suddenly.

"Max!? It _is_ you! Good. We've been looking for you-"

"Well, get in line... I'm supposed to be meeting with Krellyn."

"Then, I suppose it's a good thing I'm here, wouldn't you say?" Hearing the Grand Marshall's voice, Max's posture immediately straightened stiffly.

"Marshall, I... I didn't recognize your voice."

"It's alright, Max. Mine's not the one you shouldn't forget." As the Storm Hawks listened through the radio static, a deep, proud voice came over it.

"Zral, Maximillian." Max nearly let go of Coltemach's handlebars as Chancellor Kvelt's voice crept onto their frequency.

"Chancellor! To what do I owe this tremendous honor, my lord?"

"I've been hearing reports of a young Sky Knight squadron that has shown much promise against the Cyclonians. I thought that I should see these younglings for myself. I set out this morning with the intention of greeting them personally, but such an encounter has eluded me so far." The aged Kvelt coughed lightly into the mike. Max's expression flooded with worry.

"Sire, are you ill?"

"No, young one. I'm merely fatigued from the long journey. It is nothing a night of rest will not cure."

"My lord, I can assure you, the Storm Hawks would be more than happy to have you aboard their ship. I will have the preparations made immediately."

"That will be difficult, Maximillian, especially since _I_ have your ship."

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"I _mean_ General Keltar had a chance run-in with the _Condor_. I'm afraid your pilot strayed a touch too far toward our flight path."


	15. Chapter 15

"General, the _Nightmare_ is approaching: starboard side. A trifle early, sir." Kwanari Lentix was nervous; she had never been a member of the Chancellor's shipboard reception guard before, and didn't know what to expect. As she stood to the side of the door, halberd clutched tightly in her left hand, the call was given for the Chancellor's momentary arrival. Tightening the muscles in her arms as the anticipation of his appearance grew, she powered up her halberd and prepared for the door to swing open. The satisfying "swish" of the crystal's energy dancing along the length of the blade's cutting edge confirmed it was on, and as the door "whooshed" open dramatically, she readied her weapon. Chancellor Kvelt slowly walked out onto the deck, his staff clanking on the floor every other step as "Atten-Hut!" was called out by a nearby colonel, who could be seen tightly gripping the handle of her sheathed officer's sword. All eyes turned toward the majestic figure making his way down the hall, and the simultaneous "clink" of thousands of ankle guards clicking together echoed through the ship. Grand Marshall Krellyn Devontare, the Chancellor's Minister of War, and General – soon to be Field Marshall - Keltar Somani, commanding officer of the _Basilisk_, followed closely behind, and were in turn followed by: Vice Marshall Letherly Bract, the Chancellor's Chief of Staff; Lieutenant General Stanse Korzasa, his Minister of Technology; Lieutenant Colonel Martya Coryn, his secretary; Brigadier General Salton Stadfalther, M.D., his personal physician; Field Marshall Jabar Cornathal, his Minister of Foreign Affairs; Major General Tentare Nothar, his Minister of Commerce; and Field Marshall Herbon Myjero, his Minister of Internal and Domestic Affairs. This group of "militicians" (as Terra Onyx's so-called "military politicians" were often called) was flanked by the Chancellor's Royal Guardsmen, who was led by the head Guardsman, Colonel Boricta Konotant. A small group of strangers gathered in a crowd near the Chancellor and his staff, and it made her uncomfortable. She said nothing, however; it was not her place to speak to the Chancellor unless spoken to first. As she watched the procession of greatness disappear from her view, the call to stand down was given. Kwanari sighed loudly, her hands trembling as tension overwhelmed her. The Chancellor had looked her way; the twinkle in his eye, a look of dispassionate, suspicious curiosity, told her she had better watch her back. She was headed for either an execution or a field commision.

...

"Keltar, who was that nervous-looking young woman helping to guard the door?" Kvelt turned slightly toward the regal officer, staring at him with a scornful look of intensity. She seemed so out of place among the guards, and it worried him to no end. When one is Chancellor of the most power terra in the Atmos, one has to beware of potential double agents and other such enemy infiltrators.

"Junior Warrant Officer Lentix, Sire. She's a recent addition to our crew; fresh out of the Academy's newest training program, my lord."

"_Junior_ Warrant Officer? What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, Sire, that she's a fresh member of the Fleet, occupying base-level functions while she learns everything she needs to in order to become a full warrant officer. It's an extension of the 'Officers-In-Training-Abroad' program, my lord."

"I see. So, she hasn't been in Fleet service very long, then?"

"No, my lord, I'm afraid not."

"Pity. Have her transferred to another ship immediately."

"But, Sire-"

"But nothing!" Kvelt's voice suddenly boomed through the hall. "I. Want. Her. Gone." He reiterated angrily. Keltar bowed his head respectfully.

"Yes, my lord, right away."

"Good."

"My, what an angry father you've become, Sire. Are the children not getting along well?" Max spoke with a half-playful half-sarcastic tone. Everyone except the Storm Hawks gasped loudly, and Starling had a look of dread on her face: openly mocking and/or back sassing the Chancellor was treason. On Terra Onyx, that meant only one thing; a summary execution. To everyone's surprise, Kvelt laughed heartily.

"Maximillian, you ballsy fool. I miss your wit, young one." Kvelt smiled evilly, a smile Max returned. Starling sighed loudly in relief.

"I thank you for complimenting such a humble warrior as I, my lord." Max bowed in exaggerated reverence, eliciting a soft chuckle from the Onyxian leader.

"Now, onto business. I wish to meet the rest of the Storm Hawks. May I assume they were still aboard the _Condor_ when you left to retrieve Maximillian and his... mate?" Kvelt spoke the last word with a bit of arrogance, but cast a slight smile Starling's way. She smiled nervously as he slowly turned back toward Aerrow.

"Well, yeah... I told 'em to stay put, just in case-"

"Yes, yes, 'in case something happened'... we've already been over that... but can you say with certainty that _all_ members of your squadron are accounted for?" He gave the redhead a suspicious look. Aerrow gulped nervously but continued.

"Well, I guess I can't say that with _certainty_, but..." He let his voice trail off.

"What Aerrow means, Chancellor, is that Stork, Junko and Radarr have never disobeyed orders before, and they aren't about to do so without just cause..." Starling interceded on Aerrow's behalf, finishing the nervous Sky Knight's final thought. Kvelt nodded in understanding.

"Very well... once we reach Onyx, this can all be settled amiably." Aerrow nodded a bit. Max scoffed a bit too loudly as he thought to himself.

"Do you have something you wish to say, Maximillian?" Max choked a little, suddenly having nothing to say.

"Well, young one?" Kvelt insisted impatiently.

"Well, my lord, as a matter of fact, I do... firstly, Sire, I deeply wish that you would call me Max-"

"Noted. Secondly?" Max's face scrunched up a bit in growing anger and annoyance.

"_Secondly_, I wish to be blunt instead of hiding behind droll, mind-numbingly monotonous innuendo-"

"Also noted. Anything else?"

"Yes! Let me speak without interruption, damnit!" The hybrid covered his mouth as the whole group gasped again. The Chancellor's expression was a poorly hidden mix of fury and disbelief.

"Max, I cannot believe you just said that to me." Kvelt drew ever closer to Max, whose knees were quivering ever so lightly. He slowly drew his hand up, and promptly slapped him across the face, knocking him into a heap on the floor.

"No one has _ever_ spoken to me in such a disrespectful manner, and I am not about to let anyone start now! Do I make myself clear!?" Max quickly stood to attention and saluted stiffly.

"Crystal, Sire!"

"Excellent. Now, allow me to apologize."

"Of course, my lord. It won't happen aga- what did you say, Sire?"

"I said I am sorry, Max. I should not have pushed you so hard. I have not forgotten how much you have suffered for our people, and the events of your torturous past have left a few... emotional scars."

"My lord, I... my personal issues are no excuse for my tone and demeanor."

"I am aware of that. I am also aware of the fact that emotion cannot be controlled as tightly as some have been led to believe. Some degree of emotional chaos is present in all of us, young one. You are perhaps the greatest living example of this inner maelstrom that I have ever seen in my 78 years as Chancellor." Max knelt down on one knee, bowing his head to give Kvelt something to aim the business end of his staff at.

"Sire, I throw myself at your feet and beg for your mercy." He cringed after saying this, fully expecting a swift blow to the back of the head. Instead, a hand softly gripped his shoulder. As he looked up, Kvelt pulled him back to his feet.

"Worry not, brave warrior. The guilt and anguish you carry is punishment enough." Max bowed in genuine reverence.

"Thank you, my lord. I live to serve, and will die to serve." Kvelt turned on his heel and gave the hybrid the slightest hint of a smile.

"Let us hope that it will not be necessary for you to die for me, young one."


	16. Chapter 16

"Ready? And, fire!" The sound of bullets ricocheting off of metal targets reverberated throughout the 2-level training deck of the _Basilisk_. Everything from .50-caliber machine guns and 20-millimeter autocannons to 5- and 6-inch rifled artillery pieces fired in sync with the somewhat muffled shouts of the gunnery-officers-in-training. After a few minutes of nearly continuous firing, the order to resume standby was given. Gunner's Mate strikers quickly swapped out worn-down gun barrels and swept the floor clean of unburnt crystal powder as the firing then resumed. The distinctive "snap, click, thunk" of machine guns being reloaded with fresh ammo belts and re-cocked for firing was quickly followed by the equally distinct "tat-tat-tat" of bullets being cut loose. The loud "boom" of the large guns was followed by a "crack" of the breeches opening, then the "clank" of empty shell casings hitting the floor. The "shuck" of breeches closing preceded the resonant "click-clank, click, click" of one of the big guns jamming mid-shot. One of the instructors watched with keen interest as the loader attempted to remove the jammed shell. Suddenly, the breech of the clogged weapon exploded with a sickening spray of red-hot metal shards. Several gunners ran from the burning wreck, their hands cradling their scorched faces as they screamed in agony. An alarm went off overhead, a klaxon-like siren coaxing the medics forward from the safety of the back wall as smoke billowed ominously. As they ran to assist the injured gunners, damage control teams - armed with blizzard-crystal fire extinguishers and fireproof clothing - moved in to deal with the gun, which was now completely engulfed in flames. Seeing how quickly the fire had progressed from being small and contained to out of control, one of them signaled to a crew chief on the far side of the deck, who pulled a red-handled lever next to him. A large door opened on the side of the ship, and the gun was muscled out in short order, allowed to fall into the Wastelands below. As the relieved damage control teams watched the gun explode into a hellish fireball a half dozen miles beneath the ship, the medics tended to the injured - bandaging their wounds and escorting them to stretchers for further treatment elsewhere - as the piercing alarm was finally silenced. Watching from the control room on the level above, protected by a panel of armor-plated glass nearly 4 feet thick, Chancellor Kvelt growled in anger.

"Damnit!! That's the fifth gun this week!" He slammed the end of his staff to the floor with a loud "clank". General Keltar turned to him with an genuinely apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, my lord. This batch of guns seems to have a few... metallurgical imperfections."

"It's not that, Keltar. The guns seem to be fine. It's the shells; the gasses from each one being fired build up in the breech, and after a dozen or so shots, a shell then explodes in the gun because it heats up before it can be fired. Tell the Ordinance Bureau to finish the retrofitting of that new hot-gas ejection system of theirs before one of those deathtraps kills its whole gun crew."

"Sire, Vulture cannot seem to build them any faster. They are barely making enough to cover our air defense platforms, let alone equip the entire Fleet." Marshall Krellyn turned to Max, who suddenly stood between her and the Chancellor.

"Max, do you have a suggestion for us?" Kvelt suddenly looked up at the towering hybrid. His hand thoughtfully stroked his chin, then stopped as an idea formed.

"My lord, has anyone tried fitting an air line to the breech of the gun?" Max's sudden speech caught Starling somewhat off guard, who half-expected him to say nothing.

"What good would that do, Max?" Krellyn inquired. Max turned to her with a respectful smile.

"It _should_ clear the hot gases from the breech without igniting them, if the line has CO2 flowing through it instead of air."

"You mean, shoot in the CO2 so as to prevent a fire? Using the same principle as our emergency fire extinguishers?" Keltar joined in. He nodded softly.

"Exactly. That will prevent a buildup of hot gases from the spent rounds without slowing the gun's rate of fire or ignited any unburnt powder in the barrel."

"In theory, Max. Remember, we would still need to modify the breech to add a line inlet."

"Marshall, it already has a line inlet. It has been placed there so that cold water can be used to clean the breeches during maintenance cycles."

"That _is_ true, my lord. They were built that way so the guns wouldn't have to be disassembled to be cleaned."

"Have one of your engineers look into it, Keltar."

"Yes, Sire."

"One other note - and you might be able to help with this as well, Max - is that the ammo belts for the machine guns keep getting snagged on their guide rails. Any suggestions?"

"Yes, I have, my lord. Encourage the Ordinance Bureau to accelerate development of a .50-caliber disintegrating-link belt to replace the reloadable cloth belts in current use."

"We have been over this many times before, Max. The convenience and ease of use of disintegrating links does not justify their overall expense." Krellyn interjected, somewhat angrily.

"_I_ will decide that, if you don't mind, Krellyn." Kvelt countered curtly.

"Yes, _Sire_."

"Excuse me, Marshall?" Krellyn turned to face the white-haired Chancellor, staring at him with an unblinking, somewhat cruel gaze.

"With all due respect, my lord, _you_ do not have to explain to the troops why they are suddenly using a different loading system for their ammunition. _You_ do not have to retrain nearly _**3 billion infantry soldiers**_ to _use_ the new feeding system. And, perhaps most importantly, _you_ do not have to _dispose_ of the old ammo belts!!" Krellyn panted from the ferocity of her sudden outburst. Kvelt stared at his favored Minister with a look of moderate concern. The white-skinned Grand Marshall sniffled a little as she regained her composure, frowning as she hung her head in embarrassment.

"Forgive me, my lord. I have not slept well the past few nights. I believe that it is this new campaign against the Cyclonians; it has left me with many frustrating details to fill in." Kvelt nodded in understanding.

"You are forgiven, Krellyn. I, too, have had many sleepless nights during my long military career."

"It is their recent push into the Southern Colonial Passage that worries me the most, Sire. We've already lost the battleship _Mozar_, the heavy cruisers _Nintaka _and _Brintamon_, and about 3 dozen destroyers and support vessels from the 3rd Assault Division."

"How long before we can shore up the Fleet with reinforcements?"

"About 5 or 6 days, my lord."

"Who is leading the remaining force in that sector?"

"Major General Cocore Minotuba, my lord. He's leading the force set to counterattack, with his flag quarters aboard the battleship _Placarta_."

"Can he be relied upon to get the job done, Krellyn?"

"He's an egocentric careerist, Sire, but a skilled commander nonetheless."

"Being an egocentric careerist is not an inherently dangerous characteristic to possess, Marshall-" Just as he was about to finish, a group of soldiers walked up to them. One - a major - bowed reverently as she came closer, looking over a scroll intently before she spoke.

"Sire, it's the _Scimitar_. They're reporting in." The major handed the mission brief over to Kvelt, and he nodded the young woman away curtly.

"Well, my lord?" Keltar inquired respectfully. Kvelt looked up from the brief, giving Krellyn a look. Krellyn rolled her eyes and nodded.

"What is it, my lord?" Max asked out of nowhere.

"They're reporting that they have captured Ravess' flagship."

"Bullshit, they have! I'll believe _that_ when I see it." Max replied in his typical fashion. Starling could do nothing but smile weakly and laugh nervously as the group turned to stare at them. Max smiled sheepishly as Kvelt eyed him with an eyebrow raised.

"_This is going to be a long day._" Starling thought to herself. And, as it turned out, she was right.


	17. Chapter 17

"Tell me what I want to hear, human, and you will be allowed to leave here alive." As the Storm Hawks waited outside an interrogation room on the _Basilisk_, the sounds that assaulted their young ears were almost unbearable.

"Fuck you!" A female voice spat out, followed by the sharp "crack" of a leather switch hitting flesh. Some chatter in Onyxian came soon after.

"_This_ Cyclonian will be tougher to break, my lord. Perhaps a specialist is in order." Krellyn stated, smiling sadistically.

"Anyone in particular, Marshall?" Kvelt asked. The Grand Marshall turned to answer.

"Max is the first person that comes to mind, Sire."

"Very well; bring Max here, now!"

"Yes, Sire!" The doors to the room opened, allowing Krellyn to exit with 2 guards flanking her. Suddenly, the tall female turned to stare coldly at the Storm Hawks.

"Storm Hawks... stay here... and keep out of trouble..." With that, she turned on her heel and headed out toward Max's room.

_Meanwhile..._

"Here, Max... this'll help you relax..." Max moaned lightly as Starling nibbled on his neck, his strong hands running up and down her back as she gently sunk her teeth into his flesh. He lightly dug his fingers into her back, moaning louder as she moved to kiss his lips. She sat in his lap and began gently pinching his nipples, hearing him moan in delight as she kissed him more. Suddenly, a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Starling asked, frowning at the interruption. Max was still too out of it to think. He fell flat on his back as the Interceptor got up to answer.

"It's Krellyn. I need to borrow Max for a minute, Starling." The older woman stated enigmatically. The young woman opened the door and ushered the Marshall in. Max slowly stirred from his euphoria, finally opening his eyes all the way. Seeing Krellyn standing there, he quickly stood to attention, bringing his left hand up and saluting stiffly. He neglected to notice the fact that he was still naked. Krellyn smiled a bit as he stood there, looking him up and down. Starling noticed the slightest hint of a blush painted on her cheeks, watching with curiosity as the Minister admired Max's physique for a few moments before snapping back to reality.

"At ease, Max. Get dressed. We've got a tough prisoner we need you to crack." She said with a sly smile. The Onyxian looked down, saw what she had been looking at, and covered himself with his black silk bedsheet. Krellyn's smile grew bigger as he blushed slightly. He threw his clothes together, gathered the tools he would need for the job ahead, and walked proudly behind Krellyn, smiling evilly.

"It's Ravess, Max. She's holding back information we need." The Marshall explained it as though what was about to happen was universally normal. The taller Onyxian nodded curtly to the white-skinned woman.

"How soon do we need this information?"

"Soon enough to call _you_ in as a specialist."

"I'm flattered, Marshall. I had no idea my... skills... were in such high demand."

"Don't get too cocky, Max... I recommended you because you're the closest extraction expert." She returned the proud warrior's wicked smirk.

"Say what you want, ma'am... we both know the truth, don't we?" He chuckled lightly when Krellyn rolled her eyes. As they arrived at the interrogation room, Krellyn keyed a number into the keypad, allowing the formerly locked door to slide open. Inside, Ravess, the back of her uniform ripped to shreds, was kneeling on the floor, chained to the wall with her arms securely placed behind her back. She slowly looked up at the pair as they entered the dimly-lit room. After Max placed his tool chest on a large metal table and flung open the lid with a loud, echoing "snap", the scowling perfectionist's eyes grew wide as he removed several wicked-looking tools.

"So, I hear you're holding back information we need." The hybrid stated nonchalantly. The smaller human nodded slowly.

"Well, that won't last." Suddenly, the tall warrior strode over, holding a pronged instrument in his hands. Without saying another word, he drove the spiked utensil into her shoulder, twisting it into her flesh as she screamed in agony. Somehow, Ravess managed to keep her wits. Leaving the tool where it was, blood trickling down to the floor, Max walked back over to the table, quickly grabbed a few more tools, and returned to the archer's side.

"Tell me what I want to know. I promise you, it'll only get worse from here on out." He reasoned. She shook her head defiantly. The Onyxian sighed in faux disappointment.

"Okay. Have it your way, then." He slowly pushed another pronged device into her shoulder, less than half an inch above the spot where the first instrument still stuck to her muscle. Suddenly, a massive energy pulse ran through her already weakened form, her body convulsing violently as her interrogator smiled sadistically. She panted loudly as the pulse abated, only to feel another, even stronger discharge course through her. She screamed even louder this time, unable to control herself.

"Tell me, and I will let you go." He offered comfortingly. Still, she shook her head, albeit much less defiantly this time. Max growled in anger.

"Fine!" He pulled out the device and set it aside, reaching for something else. He then pulled out the pronged utensil that had been in her shoulder until now, but instead of bandaging it, he poured some kind of saline solution into the wound. She screeched in pain, her whole body shaking as she tried to pull away. He grabbed hold of her neck, forcing her to drink some brownish liquid. Quite soon, she felt a half-stinging/half-burning sensation in her stomach, and she suddenly vomited the solution on the floor. It not only left a bitter taste in her mouth, but her throat and stomach burned intensely, making her groan in pain. Now, Max forced open her eyelids and, with the use of an eyedropper, put a very weak acid in her eyes. Again, she tried to pull away, but she had nowhere to go. With an ear-to-ear grin of pure, sadistic delight, the Onyxian let her fall back into a kneeling position on the floor.

"I'll give you a minute to think about all this. Then we'll talk some more." He made his way toward the door.

"Wait!" She cried out, her voice noticeably weakened by everything. The tall warrior slowly turned to face her.

"I'm listening." Max cooed evilly.

"Cyclonis sent me to spy on the Storm Hawks, to see what was going on. We were hoping to take them out before they got into Onyxian space, but we couldn't since we were attacked by that other ship." Max nodded slightly, opened the door, yelled something to the guards, and watched as they came in and removed her from the floor. He stood aside as they dragged her exhausted form back to her cell. As Krellyn and Starling walked up to the hybrid, he relayed the information to them. Krellyn smiled softly as he explained his plan of action, still admiring his well-endowed body as her mind wandered. When she realized what she was doing, she shook her head and resumed listening to the pair next to her.

"So, what next, Krellyn?" Starling asked quietly.

"We inform the Chancellor, then see what he wants to do. Obviously, his opinion will dictate what our next move is." She responded broadly, trying to cover for the fact that she hadn't really been paying attention. This answer seemed to satisfy the pair, however.

"Alright; let's go see him now."

"We can't, Max." The Marshall yelled after the duo had started walking away.

"And why not?" Max inquired.

"Because he hates to be disturbed while he's asleep, and I doubt this would justify the intrusion."

"Very well. We'll wait until morning." The hybrid and his human companion strode past the Minister as she was once again lost to her daydream. Something about this young man really caught her eye, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She was immediately returned to reality as an alarm softly chirped overhead. This particular alarm could only mean one thing; they had entered Onyxian airspace.


	18. Chapter 18

"Magistrate, if I could have a word alone with my client-"

"The witness has already been sworn in, Judicator! Proceed or move on!" As a manacled Onyxian sat at a table next to a sharply-dressed young woman in a business suit, his head hung low to hide his face, Krala shifted lightly in her seat on the witness stand. The only thing she hated about Onyxian life was the court system: cold, extremely heartless, with century-long minimum sentences for some lesser offenses, and the most horrid execution methods imaginable for capital crimes. The Ministry of Justice was a well-oiled machine; it was a shame that this machine was as brutal to the innocent as it was to the guilty. One didn't dare file an appeal on a court's ruling; the request would be denied by the presiding Magistrate, and more often than not, the defense counsel would never see daylight again. Attempts by criminals to bribe the Magistrates were common but futile; for a Magistrate, accepting a bribe was tantamount to treason. The Minister of Justice, General Matara Cogech, was a woman who lived by a simple rule; if you've broken the law, you're going to pay for it.

"Magistrate, the Defense has no questions for this witness at this time; we reserve the right to recall her, however." The Defense Judicator had the hardest job in the whole justice system: trying to convince a jury that their client wasn't guilty. Unlike human courts, where the presumption of innocence is maintained, the Ministry of Justice operated on the opposite principal; the defendant was assumed to be guilty, and had to provide evidence of their innocence. Still, even with the harsh penalties and the burden of proof being on the defendant, the crime rate of Terra Onyx was surprisingly high, and was slowly increasing. Although many, even some within the Ministry of Commerce, attributed the unusually high crime rate to the adoption of war rationing policies, the Minister of Commerce himself, Lieutenant General Tentare Nothar, blamed the widespread introduction of non-Onyxian ideas into society through the partially state-controlled media. "The short-sighted arrogance of capitalism injected into our society by the Lessers", as he stated in a press conference a few weeks before, "has caused a surge in crime unseen on Terra Onyx since the Silencing ended roughly 1200 years ago." "Lessers", a term quite common on Terra Onyx, was a word used to describe practically anyone who wasn't Onyxian. The Silencing was "a state-sponsored mass murder program instituted to keep their population under control," as Starling once put it. According to Onyxian history books, however, it was an attempt by the government to quell a violent uprising within the working class that threatened to start a civil war. At the time, Chancellor Shilch's massive tax program was bleeding the inhabitants dry. Although it was meant to rebuild the terra after an epic, centuries-long struggle with a now-extinct society, the so-called "Taxes from 'Kenkelan'" program was seen by the Chancellor as a way to return Onyx to its former glory. Dissent and unrest grew as the working class and the military demanded salary increases commensurate with the rise in taxes. When the issue was brought to the Ministry of Commerce, the demands were flatly refused. Vice Marshall Kaylar Selantor, the Chancellor's Chief of Staff, recommended finding a way to build some accommodation for their demands. However, Chancellor Shilch was in no mood to compromise; he sent in the Royal Guard and Battle Fleet, which decimated the 600,000-strong rebel force. An estimated 486,000 badly-disorganized, poorly-armed men and women were killed during the Silencing, but it brought the revolt to an abrupt end. Since then, no one except the Chancellor and his advisors has spoken out against the Ministry of Commerce; they too greatly fear the retribution.

"Very well; Colonel Hertu, you may step down." Krala did as she was told. As she walked back to her seat, the murmurs of the courtroom audience were silenced by the Magistrate's gavel.

"This court is in recess until 0800 tomorrow." With that, the black-robed Magistrate stood and left, without another word to those present. The court officers almost literally dragged the defendant out of the courtroom. With a sigh, Krala stood and began making her way out of the courtroom. Before she even made it out the front door, however, she was caught by a strong arm, which grabbed her shoulder gently.

"Colonel, a minute of your time..." A feminine voice softly spoke. The Sky Knight turned to see who was holding onto her, and she did a double take as she saw the Minister of Justice herself standing there next to her.

"Of course, Minister... how can I be of assistance?"

"Krala, you and I have been friends for quite some time now. You may address me as Matara." The older woman smiled broadly.

"Very well... Matara... what can I do for you?"

"I've been hearing reports of a... confidential nature." She pulled the younger woman back behind a steel support column, tucked away from the crowded main entrance.

"What sort of reports?"

"Rumors, actually... of a coup..."

"What!? A coup, on Terra Onyx!? In _this_ political climate!? Unthinkable!" Krala hissed angrily.

"I know how you feel, Krala, but Herbon has been seeing strange entries in the master register for access to the State Archives: sign-in/sign-out discrepancies, forged signatures, etc..."

"I don't believe this! How certain is he, Matara?"

"I'm not sure. He thinks it best to keep this information to as few people as possible. He wants to be certain of things before he makes his report to the Chancellor."

"Of course. I understand."

"One more thing, Krala..."

"What's that, Matara?" The older woman eyed her knowingly.

"Watch your back. If this conspiracy does exist, it could be everywhere." With that, the Minister turned on her heel and walked toward the main entrance, flipping the hood on her cloak up over her head as she walked out onto the sidewalk. Krala stood in stunned silence, and for several minutes, she didn't move an inch, trying to process everything she'd been told.

Author's Note: "Kenkelan" is an ancient Onyxian word, literally translated as "plane of the damned". In modern times, it has come to represent the Onyxian euphemism for Hell.


End file.
